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News: Hawks & Kites
Saoirse:
Thanks, Elaine -- always so much bad news, it's great to see some of the good news!
Moonstar:
A very nice story. It was nice that they let the man who rescued the bird, release it.
thanks Elaine L for the nice link to this story.
Elaine L:
After reading the sad news this morning about the loss of Kate, I thought some good news was in order. Here is a story about the release of a red-tailed hawk in Edmonton after it had been burned by a methane flare eight months ago. There is also a video.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/tailed+hawk+flies+again+after+recovering+from+burns/5237277/story.html
Alison:
Red kite chicks born in Ireland for first time in over 200 years
The successful hatching of the first red kite chicks to be born here in over two centuries has been hailed as a significant achievement in the programme to restore Irish biodiversity. Five chicks have been confirmed in two nests in Co Wicklow, according to scientists with the Golden Eagle Trust Red Kite Project. The exact location of the nests is not being disclosed in order to minimise threats to the birds.
The red kite once flourished in Ireland but became extinct in the 18th century due to persecution, poisoning and woodland clearance. In 2007, a project began to reintroduce the bird and, so far, 81 red kites have been imported from Wales and released in Co Wicklow. A similar project is under way in Northern Ireland. Most of the birds have survived, and some have migrated to counties as far away as Kerry and Leitrim.
The birds first bred in two nests last year but neither produced any young. This year, nine breeding attempts were discovered, and six of these still have females incubating eggs. Three others have failed. Three chicks have been seen in one nest and two in another. Minister for the Environment John Gormley, who visited the project yesterday to view progress, described the hatching of the chicks as a milestone for the project and an excellent example of an Irish biodiversity project. The aim of the project is to produce a self-sustaining population of red kites, according to the project manager Damien Clarke. It is my hope that the red kite will, with time, once again be a common sight throughout Ireland. These Irish-bred chicks are the first sign of that becoming a reality.
The red kite, so called because of its reddish-brown body and tail, has a wingspan of up to 1.8 metres. The bird nests in trees and often lines its nests with scraps of cloth and paper, a practice noted by Shakespeare. Their prey includes small mammals, crows, pigeons, insects and worms. The bird survived in Wales, though at one point there were only two known breeding pairs there. Today, there are about 600 breeding pairs in Wales alone.
Photo by Garry ONeill:
Alison:
Injured Red Tailed Hawk Rescued
An injured red-tailed hawk has a second chance at life thanks to some quick-thinking witnesses, a skilled bird handler and a bird-rescue organization.
The bird, with a mangled left wing, was spotted on the side of Route 8 near Batts Neck Road in Stevensville on Wednesday afternoon. Kent Island resident Stephen Reverand, who is a licensed falconer, got a call from his friend, Chris Bird, about the injured hawk.
"They had seen the hawk on the side of Route 8 and they knew I handle hawks.
People know people on Kent Island. They knew I am licensed to handle hawks," said Reverand, who said he works by day as a filmmaker for the National Geographic Channel. Reverand, who currently trains and flies a peregrine falcon as a hobby, quickly headed to the scene.
"I thought I'd see Chris and an injured hawk, and there were eight or nine cars and a photographer," he recalled. "That tells me people care about injured wildlife." Reverand guessed the hawk may have been hit by a car. It recently had eaten and had a full crop, which is a pouch near the throat that is part of its digestive tract. Other than the broken wing, the hawk appeared to be in good shape, though Reverand cautioned he's not an expert.
With the help of his son, Joshua, who is an apprentice falconer, Reverand covered the hawk with a towel, secured its legs and took it home. The bird stayed at the Reverands' home overnight and then was taken to Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research in Newark, Del., on Thursday. Dr. Heidi Stout, the executive director of Tri-State, said the hawk's prognosis is "guarded." The bird underwent surgery Thursday and is still receiving treatment.
Reverand has high hopes for the hawk, but is realistic that it might have to be put down or might never make it back into the wild. He hopes that if the bird recovers, it can be released back in Stevensville.
"The prognosis of a red-tailed hawk with a broken wing is serious," he said. "This organization is giving this animal every chance in the world."
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/12/29-38/Good-Samaritans-help-injured-red-tailed-hawk.html
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