Last chance this year

If you're looking for a place to give a last minute donation to a 501(c)3 non-profit organization so you claim it on your 2009 taxes, you're looking in the right place. If your looking to donate to a non-profit organization who cares about the wildlife who can't always take care of it self, think of Bird TLC.

We've had 34 bald eagles come into our clinic this year. Everything from being shot, electrocuted, caught in fishing lines, avalanches and just about anything you can think of.

We've done live bird presentations all over Alaska in schools, private organizations, youth groups and many more, educating the public about the wild birds in our state. All of our birds in our education program are not releasable because of injuries or illnesses that prevent them from being able to care for themselves in the wild.

We care for all birds native to Alaska or migrate through Alaska. That means songbirds, water fowl, raptors, corvids, etc. Every bird gets a second chance.

And every bird that can be released back to the wild is. Last year our release rate averaged about 55%. That's above the national average. Our staff and dedicated volunteers care for these birds 365 days a year.

We don't have a steady income from any government agency. We rely on donations from corporations and caring citizens.

If you would like to donate, go to www.birdtlc.net. On the home page you can specifically donate to BE 09-31 for his beak repairs. You can also go to our Sponsor page and donate for a specific species in rehab, or you can go to our Donations page and donate to Bird TLC in general. Any way you choose, you can be assured that your money will be used to give the best possible care to the wild birds of Alaska.

BE 09-31 is getting plenty of news coverage

Click on his picture above and you'll see his story on KTUU Channel 2 which also was shown on MSNBC.

He was also in the Anchorage Daily News.

Things are looking up, but we could use your help. If you would like to donate to help out, please click the donate button below.

Merry Christmas!

A little snow and Erin checks off on Phoenix

We got about 20 inches of fresh snow last week. Because of the previous heavy frost and the snow was very moist, it accumulated on the netting. The only way to get it down is to knock it down. It's not an easy task, but it needs to be done. Too much snow on the netting will cause it to tear and or collapse.

In the mean time there are still birds in the flight center. We need to keep and eye on them so we don't accidentally harm them or vise versa.

The temps were near 0°f. Gary and Warren were hard at it while I had to come in once or twice to thaw my mustache out.

Erin checked off on Phoenix the osprey on Saturday. I missed it due to work but Cindy took this picture for me. Congrats Erin!

More BE 09-31

We have a couple different things in the works right now for #31. We have a dentist coming in on Sunday to take a mold of our beak. We know he can never be released again, but we can be more handsome with some help.

In the mean time Cindy has been trying a prototype of her own using some poly mar clay from a local craft shop. She started at home shaping away at her kitchen table for several hours. The next day was time for the initial fit. The exterior we're not concerned about just yet. First it has to fit the existing beak without trimming what's left. It needs to add support to the upper beak for strength. It needs to have holes for the nares and breathing. We don't want a permanent attachment, but using some type of adhesive.

Some final trimming was still needed before it snapped into place with some Polygrip to help it stay in place.

So far the experiment is working.

Thanks to those who have donated to help out with the expense of helping BE 09-31 out. Your donations are helping with the expense of maintaining a healthy bird and hopefully helping this guy look a little more natural and help reinforce it's beak. Since he needs some special help, your donations keep us from having to take away from other areas where the money is also needed.

If you would like to donate to help out, please click the donate button below.

UPDATE on BE 09-31 Bald Eagle

This guy came in weighing 8.5 lbs . That's a little on the small side for him. He was probably taking care of himself as best as he could, but not enough to maintain a healthy weight.

Since he's not releasable, he's going to be at Bird TLC for a while. How long is yet to be determined. Long term rehabilitation can get costly.

This bird is a beautiful fully flighted bald eagle that in time will be even more beautiful. Once he's stable, has his weight up and is proven to be 100% healthy, (minus the injury) then the type of repairs on the beak will be considered.

Cindy Palmatier, Director of Avian Care at Bird TLC is asking the public to help out with the cost of this birds rehabilitation. With the nation being in a recession, donations to Bird TLC are off about 20% this year. The added cost of this birds care can take its toll in other areas of the clinic where the money is desperately needed. Every dollar donated through the donation button bellow will go to this birds care. We know being the holiday season makes it tough, but this guy is a fighter and can use the help.

BE 09-31

This guy came into Bird TLC from the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward after it was fished out of Resurrection Bay. It's beak injury is an old one and we have no clue as to how it had got it.

It's also a permanent injury and this guy is also not releasable. But we can do cosmetic repairs to make him more attractive and to reinforce his upper beak so there isn't further damage done. Right now we're kicking around our options. In the mean time he enjoys a clean mew and fresh salmon.

Photo Credit: Cindy Palmatier / Bird TLC

Sunrise

The clinic has been staying busy and I have also at my regular job. So post have been a little thin. We'll get caught up real soon.