Fairbanks can always use another Bohemian Waxwing

(Photo by Nancy DeWitt)

I went to Fairbanks this past weekend to do a presentation, but was asked to take a bohemian waxwing along to release it. None of the Bird TLC volunteers have seen any waxwings in Anchorage for a bit and all of the trees are already striped of berries. So I asked my host in Fairbanks, Nancy, and she said they have been seeing plenty. Bring it on.

So we went waxwing hunting Saturday morning and sure enough on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks campus, there were plenty. Nancy pulled over and we got out and it sounded like a dozen George Jetson cars were going by. I opened the kennel and the waxwing hesitated for a few seconds and then came out like a bullet, straight for a spruce tree were there were already plenty of its cousins.

Once it made it to the tree, we couldn't tell one from another. They were all buzzing around chowing down on what berries were still on the trees.

And just in case the one waxwing wants to come back to Anchorage, there's a milepost right there.

 

Thanks for the help Nancy!

Of Eagles and Waxwings

BE 10-003 came in late Saturday night from Kodiak. It was found with a fox leg trap attached to its left leg. I picked it up at Era Alaska with some fantastic help from their employee's. I took it to PET ER because it's hard to handle an eagle like this on your own and I didn't want to stir anyone out of their home knowing it would be a late nighter.

Dr. Doty had stayed late to help out. She and her staff are big supporters of Bird TLC. We took x-rays and confirmed it was broke. It's a clean break. The plan was to stabilize it for the night and make plans tomorrow on when to operate. I took it to Bird TLC and bedded it down.

Dr. Riddle, one of Bird TLC volunteer D.V.M.'s, came in early Monday morning to check 003 out and maybe operate. At that time the foot was cold and there is no reaction to the pinch. He stabilized it and returned it to his mew. We'll check on it in a couple days. Hopefully we have something better to report.

It's the Bohemian Waxwing season. They're out flocking around, running into things and sometimes eating too many fermented berries. We have several visiting with us for a little while.

The first of the year 10-001

This Bohemian Waxwing came to Bird TLC from PET Emergency after someone had dropped it off. It was found on ground not flying and being attacked by other birds. During exam nothing sufficient was found wrong (NSF). A number of things could have happened from flying into something, fermented berries, your guess is as good as ours. This time of year we get a few of these berry bandits. They get to spend a few warm days with us inside and we fill them full of berries that volunteers picked and stored early in the season.