15 November 2024
Good Morning,
I had not intended to write a blog today and I am actually sending this out before it is midnight on Thursday. It has been a very long day with many challenges. My arm and hand are, however, healing and I appreciate all your good wishes. Those gel bandages do the thing. Some people asked and the brand name here in Canada is NuSkin.
All of us are very saddened by the death of Garrama. It comes so quick on the back of Nox and SE24 that we feel gutted still. In many ways, I see a huge cultural divide in attitudes. There are so many rehabbers in North America who might have given Garrama a chance to be an ambassador bird or to have at least seen what this lovely little falcon could do. Several persons from Europe and the US wrote to me with examples of birds that were deemed unable to fly or walk, but who are doing precisely that right now. They stressed, as I do, that it takes the right person who looks beyond. I was so pleased this year when I visited our wildlife rehabilitation centre with the new vet from Arizona. Her attitude is – attitudes are changing and there is not enough research into wildlife rehabilitation. The focus for vets earlier was farm animals, then pets, and now wildlife. Indeed, there are few qualified wildlife rehabilitation vets. She says as a science and as vets, they don’t know enough and there is still the need for much more research. She is the first one to let the 3 legged turtle live its life in the wild. She said she admired how it figured out how to do things to survive. There were many other creatures with only 3 legs that were given the chance, too, including a deer who can run and eat with the bet of them now. So, I wish that Garrama had a rehabber who saw the potential not the problem. There, that is said. I am not a vet and I am not a wildlife rehabber, but I like the attitude of our young vet from Arizona at Wildlife Haven who says we don’t know enough and we need to give the animals a chance to show us what they can do.
Cilla Kinross has posted a statement with his x-ray showing the deformity of the spine – and it is clearly deformed. Here it is:
Victor Hurley has posted some information about the third hatch at 367 Collins Street.
That youngest one is flapping and hopping and got up to Mum’s perch. https://youtu.be/QhqYms8SUjI?
Mum brought in a huge pigeon for her third hatch to pluck and eat. She is preparing it for its life in the wilds of Melbourne.
Dr Greene is reminding everyone that if they want to get in on the Crowdfund raising, 15 November – today – is the last day.
This video by Heidi of Wilko and Kasse trying to self-feed on the fish left by the fairies is simply too funny. https://youtu.be/o5UdX2lc9zo?s
It sure is a good thing Mum is around.
Today they are practicing on some nesting material.
SE33 is resting and recovering according to Ranger Judy who uses the pronoun ‘he’.
Please send me some good news!
In Scotland, every attempt to protect wildlife seems to fall flat. “NatureScot, a government agency, has decided to greatly reduce the area of land affected by a new licensing regime for grouse moors after legal threats from shooting estates and land owners.”
Scottish conservation agency accused of undermining law to protect birds of prey. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/14/wildlife-charities-call-on-scottish-government-to-close-loophole-in-law-on-protected-birds?CMP=share_btn_url
Thank you for being with me for this short update. Let us all send positive wishes to the two eyases left to fledge – Yira at Orange and the third hatch at Melbourne – as well as to SE33 who we hope to hear will be trained to fly and hunt and eventually released into the wild. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: Holly Parsons, Cilla Kinross, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, 367 Collins Street, Montana Osprey Cam and Dr Erick Greene, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Heidi McGrue, and The Guardian.
