Some do like to visit

  we aren't set up to do tours at our clinic. The USF&W regulations says we must seperate the birds under rehab and the education birds from viewing if we give tours. Our layout just doesn't make it that easy.
 However, there are a few that are exempt. They don't even check in, they just go visit. we're not sure if they are visiting a particular bird or looking for the left over meal. We won't give them anything because we don't want them to become dependent on us feeding them, but we can't do anything if a patient shares like the Ravens do.
 About 9 years ago I spent some time in a hospital and sure liked it when I got visitors. I wonder if it's the same if you wear feathers.
 

Please bear with my post. Blogger is acting up again. No spell check, no viewing the post before posting it live, etc.

Cindy & electrocution eagle on Channel 2 News

Cindy went to the flight center last week with the crew from KTUU Channel 2 News to visit with the Bald Eagle from Kodiak that was electrocuted on a telephone pole. Check out the story here at http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=9764827

Mt. Redoubt adviseory

Good Morning,

Just a quick update for everyone, Mt. Redoubt is rumbling again, as I’m sure you have heard. So now seemed like a good time to go over the best way to deal with volcanic ash & birds.

Clinic:

If we have the space, we will bring the outdoor birds inside until the ashfall has subsided. This is especially true of flighted or semi-flighted birds that might suck the ash farther into their airways.

Flight pens:

Stop exercising the birds immediately, just feed & water, causing as little reason for the birds to move/fly as possible.

Caretakers:

If you caretake a smaller BTLC bird it would be ideal to move them to an indoor location if possible. If this isn’t possible, or if you caretake a larger bird, assure the top of your mew is covered and let the bird sit quietly as much as possible.

The goal for all of our birds is to have them breathe as little of the ash into their systems as possible. Wild birds usually hunker down when adverse conditions occur, and we want to allow our rehab & education birds the best option to do the same.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know and we will try and get them answered.

Thanks!

Cindy

Cindy Palmatier
Director of Avian Care

Owl Native To Arctic Spotted In Tennesse

Snowy Owl Seen Around Spring Hill In December

By Reported by Alan Frio
WSMV-TV
updated 10:17 a.m. HT, Wed., Jan. 21, 2009


SPRING HILL, Tenn. - The thousands of acres that surround the General Motors plant in Spring Hill have become home to a bird not native to Tennessee.

A snowy owl, which is more commonly found in Canada and polar regions, was first spotted in the area in December.

Bird lovers from other states have flocked to the area with their telephoto lenses in hopes of capturing a peek at the rare site.

Local wildlife experts said the last citing of a snowy owl in Tennessee was about 22 years ago.

"The last one that I know about was seen in Dover, Tenn., (around) 1987, so its super rare," said Shari Meghreblian, the on-site environmentalist for the 2,400 acres surrounding the GM plant.

"These are arctic birds, and they do fly south to find food, and, you know, we're not really sure why he came this far south," said Meghreblian. "It's quite a lifetime find really, so we've had folks from the middle Tennessee area, and even so far away as Georgia and Alabama."

As word spreads of the bird's presence in middle Tennesee, people are scrambling for one fleeting look at something they may never see again in their lifetime.

"Probably when it starts to turn warm, he'll fly north again. So we don't know that we'll see him again," said Meghreblian.

GM officials said the owl's prescence has spread fast, causing a back-up Tuesday on Highway 31.

Bird TLC looses a good friend in Homer

Jean Keene aka The Eagle Lady has passed away due to complications from cancer. She was a friend to most people who meet her. I was one of the fortunate who did. Todd and Linda Boren and myself had coffee with her when we went to Homer to release an eagle back in November 2007. We joined her at her booth at the Lands End and we talked eagles. She was one of a kind.

Here's the story in the Homer News.

Goodbye Jean. Many eagles and many of your friends will miss you.

Flight Center cont....

It's been cold. Last Wednesday it was -32f at the Flight Center. Doesn't matter, the birds still need to be feed. When it's cold like that, they have to be ready to eat. The salmon freezes up fast.

The best time is when all is said and done and they quiet down to eat. All you hear is the tearing of salmon. That makes it all worth while!

Welcome to the Flight Center cont.......

We have a pretty steady crew out at the Flight Center. Seldom are there openings, but every once in a while we need a back up or fill in here and there. So is the case for the Wednesday slot right now. Long time TLC volunteer Britt is going to fill that slot for a while.

We went out this past Wednesday for feeding and training. It was -12°f. If you're going to get a taste of working at the Flight Center, that's the kind of day that will tell you if you want to work there or not. She's a trooper and she wants to stick with us, so next Wednesday she does it on her own.

Britt's also a pretty good photographer. You've seen her pictures posted her before. Well, this last picture she took of me having a disagreement with an immature bald eagle that came to us after being electrocuted on a telephone pole. Neither one of us won the argument but I walked away.

EOY

If no other calls come from U.S.F.&W. or ERA Aviation today, BE 08-82 will be the last eagle we'll take in for 2008. He came from Cordova with a fracture at his left wrist that had already healed, but improperly. It's non-repairable, so he's a non-releasable bird. We'll find a home for him in 2009. He's already at the Flight Center getting plenty of exercise.

He'll make the 82nd eagle that Bird TLC has taken into its care in 2008. We have also taken in over 450 other types of wildbirds. I'll get you an exact count after the 1st.

As you can imagine this doesn't come by inexpensively. Today's economy has started to take it's effect on all non-profits, not just us. No matter what the economy does, we'll still be here doing what we do with what we have to do it with.

Those of you that read this blog know that I don't hound you for donations but just a couple times a year. Well, this is one of them. For those of you that need a tax break, we are a 501(c)3. For those of you from outside the US, sorry. But we still need your help.

500 plus birds takes its toll on the facility, equipment and supplies. Everything we have is well taken care of, but it still wears out. Updated equipment to us is the hand me down equipment that someone replaced to update theirs. We are grateful for it, but it still has high mileage by the time we get it.

So, if you have it in your heart to donate to a non-profit, I hope you pick TLC. There are thousands that need your help. If you don't pick TLC, please pick one. Being a salesman in my real life I have to add a perk for you. If you donate over $100 on PayPal by January 5, 2009 I will personally send a thank you letter. In that letter will include 2 Bird TLC items that aren't readily available to everyone. You have to donate to get them and you won't know what they are until you do.

Here's hoping everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Here's wishing all of our friends out there a very safe and Merry Christmas!

Goodbye Barbara Doak

I received sad news this morning. Barbara passed away last night. We will all miss this wonderful lady who did so much for Bird TLC and each of us individually. I know she was a very special part of my life.

The family has not made any plans for a memorial at this time, but I will keep you posted as I learn more.

Thanks to everyone for the support and kindness we have seen as we’ve all worked through this difficult time.

Cindy

Cindy Palmatier
Director
Bird Treatment & Learning Center
(907) 562-4852

That was the official notice. Below is mine.

Barbara (in blue vest) with long time friend Glenda at this past years Bye-Bye Birdie. She was a great volunteer with Bird TLC, a great friend and a heck of a gal! She'll be dearly missed by all who had the privilege to meet her.

Dave

Jesses and Leashes

The safety of the bird you're presenting and your audience is very important. It's only as good as your bird gear. As a possible Bird TLC presenter, you're required to complete a lot of training and some of that involves making your own bird gear.

Presenting non-releasable wild birds has a relationship with falconry. One of the things that relates the two is the equipment used. If you're independently wealthy, you can buy your gear at one of the many falconry suppliers throughout the country. Or you may make your own at a fraction of the price.

Cindy scheduled a class and there was a huge response. She got lucky when long time volunteer and master falconer Bob Collins had recently moved closer to Bird TLC and she recruited him to help.The large group was split in two. For half the class we stayed with Cindy or Bob and then switched for the other half.

Cindy taught leashes. There were the braided type (which I wasn't so good at) and the leather type. There are several types depending on the size and type of bird you will present. We have small song birds all the way up to eagles. By the time her shift was over, we all knew how to make both types of leashes. We also learned how to tie the falconers knot. Safety was discussed through out the clinic.

Bobs part was a little more involved. He showed us how to make aylmeri's, jesse's, traditional jesse's and anklets (bracelets). What tools and supplies that are needed and where's the best places to buy your supplies. The types of leathers were also discussed. And again safety was covered.

Everyone had a chance to make all of the different types of bird gear so once they have a bird to present they can make the gear that's right for it. Back up gear is also handy just in case something breaks at the wrong time.

It was a fun class but most importantly it was a very educational class.

All of the links in this post are for the Modern Apprentice by Lydia Ash. This is an excellent site to learn more about bird gear, falconry and falconry equipment..

New visitors this week

The Screech Owl came to us from Whittier. It was found on a barge there that started its journey in Seattle. How much of the cruise he took we're not sure. He was very skinny and not too alert when he arrived at TLC.

Screech Owls aren't common in the Anchorage area. You can find them in the Seward area and maybe even Whittier now.

Our new Raven came from Wasilla. He was found on the ground. He was extremely skinny and infested with feather lice. We just about have the lice issue licked and he's enjoying his meals at TLC.

He has some old injuries to his wing, but nothing that keep him from being released in time. Like most Ravens, he's got a birdality (personality) for sure.

Welcome to the Flight Center cont.

We got over a foot of snow over the weekend. Whenever we get that much snow at once it can make it interesting at the Flight Center for sure.

Fishing net is stretched over the top for a roof. This gives the birds a feeling of being released but are still contained. The net also likes to catch snow. The weight of the snow weighs the net down because it's very stretchable. The snow then needs to be knocked down. The first picture is in cell B before the snow was knocked down and paths were shoveled. There are 3 cells.

Paths need to be shoveled from one end to the other and to and around the perches. We need to be able to get to the perches to feed and check around them for left over food. We need to make sure the birds are eating and we need to clean up what they don't eat.

The kitchen is the only place where there is heat. The average temperature is about 65°. It needs to stay warm enough for the fish to thaw. During winter depending on the temperature, each bird is feed 2 to 2.5 lbs of salmon. Feeding is done every other day. It's always nice to have a place to warm up, but it's also a nice place to keep things you don't want frozen like water, first aid supplies, etc. Remember, there's no running water in the winter months.

My favorite time is after all the work is done and you just finished feeding. It gets all quiet and then all you can hear are the eagles eating. They stand on the fish and pull it apart with their beak. Every once in a while there's a heated discussion about who's piece of fish it is, but there's plenty for all of them. We don't interfere with the discussion unless it gets really ugly.

To be continued.......

Click here for part 1.

What don't they do?

In case you don't recognize her, that's Cindy the Director of Avian Care at Bird TLC. She tried to hide behind the mop, but I was too fast for her. I don't think she ran out of avian care things to do, but she had time for a much needed clean up.

In case you don't recognize him, that's Dr. Todd Palmatier. Our lead DVM is painting. He never runs out of DVM stuff to do, but a fresh coat of paint sure looks nice.

All of TLC is looking real nice this year. We got new carpeting (after a flood) fresh paint in the offices and now the rest rooms also and new furniture donated by I can't say who.


Erika properly identified this mixture of goo and goo and then did a thorough cleaning of the frig.
.
I tell you, we have a great staff and some great volunteers. I'm beginning to wonder if they know what I found out Friday night on my drive out to the Flight Center? I bet they did. The word gets around fast. Not that these folks don't work hard all year long.





Yup, you guessed it. Santa's Workshop is open!

Patient visitors hours

We have two ravens that are under rehab and are in the outside raven mew. They have been getting a lot of visitors lately of the raven kind. I don't know if it's because of the holiday season starting or what.

Everyday several different ravens spend some time with them. Sometimes they exchange things. The ones on the outside pass a lot of twigs and the ones on the inside pass out food.

We've been getting quite a show for over a week now. This picture was taken from inside Cindy's office while we watched the show.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

We have a new eagle presenter

Long time Bird TLC volunteer Lisa Pajot checked off on presenting with Petra our Bird TLC Education Bald Eagle. Lisa will be taking the place of Todd Boren who is leaving with the Air Force for England. Lisa has checked off on several birds through the years to include magpie, great horned owl, snowy owl and the short eared owl.

To become a eagle presenter with Bird TLC doesn't happen over night. The requirements are that you check off on 2 raptors, pass the Alaska Falconers Exam and then pass all of the handling requirements of presenting an eagle. Lisa did all those just fine.

Both Lisa and Petra are great representatives of Bird TLC. I can't wait to see them in action together.

Welcome to the Flight Center

Actually that's not right. The only people who are allowed there are Bird TLC Staff and Flight Center Volunteers. It's big and it has a very important role in the rehabilitation of raptors. But it can be very unforgiving.

The Flight Center (FC) was built on Camp Carroll ANG Base in 1990. The materials were paid for by money donated by Exxon after the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Disaster. Labor was provided by volunteers. There is no phone service, there is weak cell phone service and no running water during the winter. You must have access to military bases to get to Camp Carroll.

We don't own the building where the Bird TLC Clinic is located. We sub lease it from IBRRC. Part of our agreement to use the facility is that if there's another oil spill disaster in Alaska, we have to evacuate the clinic in 48 hours. The Flight Center is where we would evacuate to.

Right now it's main priority is to house raptors before they are released back to the wild or placed at other facilities. There are 3 cells 30 feet wide, 20 feet tall and 90 feet long and the roof is fishing net. In one cell the non-flighted birds are placed, in another semi-flighted birds are placed and the third is where the flighted birds go.

We don't mix species. Mostly eagles are housed there, but if another species is to be housed there, we have to make some changes. That other species (like an owl or golden eagle) would get a cell all to themselves.

There are 4 volunteers that maintain the FC. They feed, exercise and water the birds on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, one person per day. Depending on how many birds are there depends on how long is takes, but on average it's about 1 1/2 hours. The rest of the time the birds run the place.

To be continued .......

Three years ago today

I was at the Bird TLC clinic and Cindy had a snowy owl that just came in from Soldotna with a broken wing. He needed to have x-rays done and she asked if I would give her a hand. Of course I said yes but little did I know that it would become a life long (so far) commitment.

The break was pretty clean and Dr. Palmatier said he was a perfect candidate for having a stainless steel pin placed in his wing for it to heal. I was well known for not being around for things that involved clinic type of things, but I was heavy into working on our website and the blog. So I asked, to the surprise of many, if I could tag along and take pictures of the operation. To my surprise they said yes.

I remember it like it was yesterday (with the help of old blog post and pictures) but the operation went fairly well with good expectations of the outcome. He was in the clinic for a few more weeks and the his wing wrap was removed and all looked good at the time. After he was monitored for a while longer he was transfered to the flight center so he could get more exercise for a possible release.

From there things took a turn. He was flying but he wasn't flying well. After observing him for a while, we determined he was flying sort of sideways. So he was brought back to the clinic for another thorough exam.

During this exam it was discovered that his wing hadn't healed properly. Somewheres along the way the bone slipped on the pin so his wing set a little off degree. This is something you can't operate on. Their wings can't be re-broken and reset. We took him back to the flight center to be observed some more. We decided that he was non-releasable. He can fly, but because of his new handicap he can't hunt well. He would probably starve.

From there He went to Cindy's (Director of Avian Care) house for her to evaluate him for possible being an education bird. He was working out well, so permits were applied for and approved. From there he was put up to be applied for by a Bird TLC volunteer to caretake, train and present.

The guy who back in 2004 that would tell his wife to go do her bird thing at TLC applied for the snowy owl. With the application I had to submit plans for the mew I would build for him to live in. The mew designs had to be approved by U.S.F.&W., the Bird TLC Education Committee and Cindy. I was approved and so was the mew. I had to build it before snow flew. I worked day and night and finished it 3 days before it snowed.

Cindy became my mentor with training with Ghost and I couldn't of had a better one. Then he came to live in his new mew on Nov 4, 2006. The training continued, some was a little challenging. On March 30th we

got checked off and had our first presentation with Cub Scout Pack 11.

Since then Ghost and I have done 108 presentations around the state. From Prudhoe Bay to Homer, for schools, private organizations and many other events. He has a new trainee. Beki started working with him last week and she's coming along fine. He is a seasoned professional at representing snowy owls and Bird TLC. It's been a blast and I feel very lucky to be working / living with him.

Happy Anniversary Ghost and many thanks to our friends who have supported us.

Birds have friends at the Loussac Library

Ghost and I had the pleasure of going to the Loussac Library last week. The Friends of the Library posted a bounty for kids to read. Once they had reached their goal, anything more than that was donated to Bird TLC. These young readers helped raise $390 for Bird TLC.

Many thanks to the readers, Friends of the Library and Theresa who took the pictures. It's help like this that makes Bird TLC what it is today.