It has been busy

This young eagle came to Bird TLC on Friday from Soldotna. It's nest had fallen from its tree and its parents were unable to care for it. It got a good weekend of salmon and hooligan. On Monday, long time volunteer Tim placed it in a foster nest near the airport.

These two also came from Soldotna under the same situation. They were very close to a river bank and could be threatened by predators. It was decided to send them to TLC. They might be too old to place in a foster nest. Lets see what happens.

This young raven found his way into a sump pump at one of the pipelines pump stations. It was sent to TLC via a stop at a 24 hour veterinary clinic in Fairbanks. The next day it got its first bath. It will need a few more. It's not eating on its own yet, but is being tube fed

Thanks to Alyeska Pipeline and the construction people for taking the time to sent this guy to us and following up on its progress. And thanks to ERA Alaska who flew all of these birds to us at no charge.

The bear didn't have a chance

We continue to get baby birds of all types in. The ducks are the only ones that don't get set up with a Baby Bird Mom. They are a little mom fragile than songbirds and easily imprinted. They love the stuffed animals we put in their hold boxes. Terry picked up quite a few from PET ER this weekend.

We go a specticled eider in from USF&W in Barrow with an injured wing. It was spending the night or two until the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward could arrange transportation. One of their volunteers took it down yesterday. What a nice looking bird.

This young mature came in on Saturday from the Kenai NWR. It was found on a river bank. It was soak en wet when we received it. It also has a broken right wrist. X-rays today.

It was a busy weekend.

We have baby ducks!

So far we've taken in about 1 1/2 baby birds, the majority being baby ducks. If this year is like any other, we'll take in about 300 baby birds.

We have foster parents

Yesterdays Baby Bird Seminar had a great turn out. The weather was good and everyone was off for the weekend. There were some baby birds present with Cindy and Chris, so they got to see first hand on what it's like to be a foster parent.

The season has started and I'm sure everyone will get a chance to help these orphaned feathered friends start off with a little help.

Become a baby bird foster parent

Baby Bird Class and Baby Shower
Saturday, May 29, 2010: Become a foster parent for orphaned Alaskan Baby Birds! Join Bird Treatment and Learning Center, at their Baby Bird Class and Baby Shower. Learn baby bird care, see baby birds and receive handouts on baby bird rescue. Donate money for baby bird supplies or bring baby bird gifts to the event and receive a free Bird TLC lapel pin. Hundreds of babies rescued, nurtured and released every spring. Saturday, May 29, 2010, 4:30-7 pm @ the Alaska Zoo, Gateway Buildings, Off O’Malley Road. Call Bird TLC for more information #562-4852 or www.birdtlc.net for baby bird needs list and rescue information.

Out of town, moms and signs

Ghost and I went to the Kenai River Festival last week. Thanks to Ken and Judy Marlow for putting us up. Ghost got to spend his first night perched out at the foot of my bed. I didn't feel that he needed to stay in his kennel all night. He did pretty good for his first time. The festival was a blast.

This is baby bird time at TLC. We get loads of baby ducks, magpies, chickadee's, etc. This year we got a mom and its baby. Mom was hit by a car. Someone picked her up and what babies she could and brought them in. Mom has a wing injury. Only one of the babies survived. Tell me that picture doesn't make you say AAWWWW!!!!

We're getting improvements to our property all the time now. People who see it will be able to tell that it belongs to Bird TLC. We have our own sign.

Just Duckie

Baby bird season is here. This little guy came to us via PET ER yesterday. I got him to TLC and bedded it down for the night. A heat light, food, and a couple cuddle friends. This guy was a little smarter than me. He climbed to the top of the Christmas Bear and hopped out of his home unto the baby bird room floor.

This mornings crew found him and put him back where he belonged. But this time they added some screening over the top. We'll find him a home soon.

New Baby Bird Moms

Every year, Bird TLC takes in about 300 baby birds. We get everything from red polls to Eagles. Trying to take care of each of these birds is a huge task that would overwhelm our clinic fast. So the Baby Bird Mom was created several years ago.

Every spring Bird TLC puts on its Baby Bird Mom Class. Cindy Palmatier and Karen Coady instruct future BBM's on what it takes to be a mom. Most people don't realize the commitment.

The star of the show was the baby raven that was taken in last weekend. Karen is the BBM for it. About every 20 minutes it would stick its head up asking to be fed. Everyone got to see exactly what it takes to care take a baby raven.

BBM's can be anyone. Anyone that has the time and patience. Most birds come in young enough that they will require lots of attention at first. Feeding every 15 to 20 minutes the first week and then the lengths between feeding increases until they can feed on their own. Then from there they learn to perch or swim on their own.

People who become BBM's use permits from U.S.F.&W and A.D.F.&G. that are issued to Bird TLC There are strict guidelines they must follow for reporting about the bird up to its release.

Even though this sounds like a lot of work (it is), it's also a very rewarding experience. Many parents like sharing this experience with their own kids.

Baby Bird season has started and I'm sure the new BBM's will be called into action real soon. Bird TLC couldn't do it without them. Best of luck!

The baby birds are here

Every year Bird TLC takes in a lot of baby birds of all sizes. We take in everything from redpolls to eaglets. It started this weekend. I went to PET ER and picked up 4 baby birds including the raven pictured here. They are then farmed out to trained Baby Bird Moms or Dads. We need lots of BBM's. If your in the Anchorage area you can go to Baby Bird Mom School.

Bird TLC's Baby Bird Class

On May 5 @ the Alaska Zoo

Yearly training of Bird TLC's Baby Bird Mom's. Be the adopted mom to a baby bird(s) that has been orphaned. Raise them until they are ready to be released back to the wild.

Call 562-4852 to register or for more information

Bird TLC Nursery

We got in 2 baby osprey today. They're very young and I don't have the full story yet. TLC was very bust when I went by today and I couldn't stay long. Cindy had visitors and then had to leave to get x-rays taken of a patient.

Our baby eagles from Fairbanks are doing fine. They seem like they're getting bigger everyday. Our other one from Soldotna (not pictured) is holding it's own for right now.

This baby Stellar Jay was being a hand full. He would run all over the cage, turn its head upside down or backwards before it stood still long enough with its head in the right direction so I could get a pix.

Kids, what are you to do?

3 baby eagles, YIKES!

This has been a crazy year. We seldom get in such young eagles. We got 2 in from Fairbanks on Friday and Cindy and Todd picked one up in Soldotna today. All had fell from nest and no parents around.

Look at the feathers on the one getting an exam. They are still downy feathers. Dark beak, dark head, and bright yellow feet. Oh boy!

We've become Foster Baby Bird Mom & Dad

That's just on the weekends. We're on the call list at Pet Emergency Treatment. Every year PET takes in dozens of baby birds that have been orphaned in many different ways. There's no cost to the finder or TLC. You can even donate to TLC at PET when you drop the birds off. They are wonderful folks.

They call us on the weekends. We pick the birds up at PET and then we take them into the day crew at Bird TLC. When we get there, we fix the birds a nest, get them fed and then we find them a permanent Baby Bird Mom or Dad.

If it's later in the day, we take them home and Ruth care takes them until the next day. On Fathers Day my son Ryan and his girlfriend Eryn took us out to dinner. The birds went with us. They stayed in the truck and Ruth went out every 45 minutes to feed them.

So far for the past 2 weekends, we've picked up 14 ducks, 1 goose, 6 chickadees, 2 juncos, 2 robins and 3 seagulls.

Baby Bird Season has struck

What a crazy day it's been. I got a call from Pet Emergency (24 hour vet hospital) that they had 5 baby robins and a duck. I went and picked them up and brought them back to TLC to feed and then find Baby Bird Mom's. I got them bedded down and Mia showed up after a presentation she did, so I drafted her to help out.

Ruth called and I told her what was going on, so she decided to come help out also. Then Pet ER called again. They had another duck and there were some other birds coming in. I called Ruth back and had her swing by Pet ER to pick them up. The duck was there, but the others hadn't shown yet. So we decided to go out to dinner.

As we were waiting for our dinner to be served, Pet ER called saying the other birds had finally shown up. We decided to take these guys home for the night so went and picked up some supplies from TLC. When we got to Pet ER, we discovered they were 8 Tree Swallows.

Tomorrow we'll take them into TLC and find them a Baby Bird Mom to raise them. Right now it's the easy life, eat and sleep.

The babies are coming

Baby birds that is. On Friday a lady brought in this little fellow that was found on the side of a trail in a dog park. She couldn't see a nest, so she brought him into us. She didn't want to take a chance that a dog would find it also. He'll stay with us or a Baby Bird Mom until it's ready to be released.

Can you identify what species?? Scroll down for the answer.

Northern Saw-Whet Owl

Annual Baby Bird Class

So you want to be a Baby Bird Mom and don't know what to do. Come to the Annual Baby Bird Class at the BP Energy Center on May 6th at 6:00pm.

Every year Bird TLC gets hundreds of baby birds that have been orpahaned for whatever reason. Get the training to become an at home Baby Bird Mom. You can become a foster mom to a robin or maybe a magpie. Watch it grow as you feed it everyday. Then when it's time, bring it into Bird TLC for it's flight exam. When it's ready to be released, you're briefed what to do and where.

The Annual Baby Bird Class

@ The BP Energy Center

May 6th, 2008 @ 6:00pm

Become a Baby Bird Foster Mom

If you need more info, call

Bird TLC

562-4852

Another Baby Merlin update

Here are the latest Merlin photos! The kid is growing up.

Cindy

Bye - Bye Magpie

Nicole and Ray Utter released a pair of Magpie's raised in the Bird TLC Baby Bird Program this past week. Magpie's are very popular corvids around Anchorage. They can be very challenging to raise because of the amount of feeding they require and the constant noise they make as they get older.

Photo credits: Chris Maack / Bird TLC

Baby Merlin

Dave,

Here's the photos & a quick 'story'.

Here's a cute little guy! He was found in a driveway in Eagle River with no sign of parents anywhere. The finders observed him most of the day and finally called Bird TLC for help.

Karen Ottenbreit retrieved the little guy and knew right away (it screamed!) that it was a merlin. The exam showed no sign of injuries so we've rehydrated the little guy and sent him off with an experienced foster mom to finish him out.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that he didn't get hurt too badly in the fall.

Cindy

Cindy Palmatier
Rehabilitation Director
Bird Treatment & Learning Center

Photo Credits: Cindy Palmatier / Bird TLC