[…]of hundreds of Brown Pelicans and untold numbers of gulls, primarily Heermann’s Gulls, who often forage and hunt with Brown Pelicans. These birds are being doused in fish waste as they forage for scraps beneath the outflow of these polluting pipes. Fish waste and fish oil disrupt the feather structure that allows a seabird to remain dry and warm when entering the cold waters of the North Pacific. Without rescue they die. Multiple incidents of such contaminations have been documented with photographs and video by Bird Ally X rescue crews in Crescent City and Shelter Cove. California Department of […]
[…]out across the river and into the sky and into perfect wild freedom. Another open door to a wild and free future! Juvenile Osprey wonders what to do with the wide open possibilities. The adult Osprey seemed to know exactly where she was and what she wanted. Out of the carrier and into the sky! And the youngster followed close behind… The last glimpse! Good luck fishing! As is always the case, our work is possible because of mutual aid between wildlife rehabilitators, help from agencies like the US Fish and Wildlife Service and CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, […]
[…]we hope, and raise owls of his own some day, here in Rohner Park, and the struggle for life, and for co-existence, and for more will continue, here in our small corner of the wild blue world. A cautious young owl hopefully grows to be an old wise one. The young owl did not want to leave the box after first opening. It’s good when a juvenile shows reluctance to venture into a new territory or new situation. Caution is not a bad course of action, especially when you are completely ignorant of what awaits. The owl was offered a […]
[…]hardened as we are by our long passages without volunteers due to the pandemic. The talented and committed staff as well as the crucial interns and volunteers of Humboldt Wildlife Care Center has my gratitude in perpetua and for ever and a day. Lucinda Adamson, Desiree Vang, Nora Chatmon, Brooke Brown, Jen Martin operated our daily wildlife hospital during the busiest part of our busiest year – it so happened that I was hospitalized for three weeks – three weeks that coincide with our busiest three weeks of the year – mid-June to early July. And for all that they […]
[…]a negative feedback loop with death and dissolution as the only end. Red-tailed hawks are a common and frequently seen raptor. Their piercing screech is often heard in Summer when parents teach their young to hunt. Many have seen one of these hawks strike prey right next to a highway. The mowed areas of grass around highways are naturally good places to hunt, and no doubt litter from passing cars increases the population of rodents and other species that Red-tailed hawks rely on to survive. We treat many hawks each year who have been hit cars. The neighborhood where this […]
[…]that I cared for a few years ago. They were emeralds on a black velvet cloth. They were old and new and ablaze and dying. Each day for three days her attitude declined. She stopped eating. It was decided that she should be euthanized and that third day I went to her cage to catch her up. She was lying on her back next to the ramp to the kiddie pool that held her untouched smelt. She was already dead. As we all know, no matter what our experience, no matter how many times this happens, when an animal dies […]
[…]If you use a trap, you have to register it with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and obtain written consent from all neighbors within 150 yards. The dangers of trapping are many! Pets and other non-targeted animals can easily be caught, and any animal in the trap can become seriously injured trying to get out – especially if she’s a mother trying to get back to her babies. Please, call us before resorting to such lethal measures. Keep wild families […]
[…]extended to January 16, 2019. Our friends at Raptors Are the Solution (RATS) has this suggestion for commenting on the DPR action ” Please send a short email to Rodenticide.Comments@cdpr.ca.gov expressing your support for DPR’s proposed decision and urging them to follow through and remove all second-generation anticoagulants (SGARs) from use in California. Although the state banned SGARs for use by consumers in 2014, a giant loophole allows the pest control industry to continue using them widely. If possible, please forward a copy of your sent email to raptorsarethesolution@gmail.com. We would like to track the number of comments submitted. ” As […]
[…]trained the wildlife rehabilitators of the future. Watching our staff in action from my sick bed and through my radiation and chemotherapy and through my recovery has been one of the most profound things I’ve ever seen. The daily phone calls with staff I had while I was in the hospital in June and July were a joy to participate in, as we discussed the caseload. I dont know if they’ll ever know how critical their excellent handling of the season was to my recovery. By competently taking care of business, our staff not only met our mission in difficult […]
[…]we rehabilitate. These two Scoters are housed in one of our seabird pools, where they can float comfortably in privacy, regain body mass, receive treatment for parasites and any other condition that they present, and recover. Even though both birds are Surf Scoters they are still easy to tell apart. The bird on the right is an adult male and the bird on the left is an immature male, just beginning to molt into his adult feathers. If they were both mature males, we’d have to put on temporary leg bands in order to keep them straight. Water is expensive! […]