News: Hawks & Kites

[Kinderchick]

Ha!!! What a story! Certainly felt sorry for the hawk. Still, couldn't help but chuckle when I saw the photo and read the story. Poor thing. Glad that he was okay, when all was said and done.  

[The Peregrine Chick]

Fat Hawk Down
13 Jan 2013, The Daily Mail (UK)


Bird of prey left sprawled on its back after it ate a coot and was unable to take off again



We all know that feeling - a large lunch leaves us sprawled out on the sofa.  Similarly, this juvenile red-tailed hawk was rendered immobile after scoffing down another bird.  Photographer Steve Shinn managed to snap the stricken bird of prey on its back after a meal of a coot near a nature preserve in Long Beach, California.

'I shot this just after a big holiday meal and think I could feel this bird's pain,' he explained. 'I found this bird in a very unhawklike position looking very distressed. It had attacked a Coot near the stream and chewed away on it for about a half hour before it waddled about 50 feet and fell flat on his keister.'

'It seemed to be breathing well so I called some folks who work for South Bay Wildlife Recovery, a wonderful organisation that mainly works with raptors and other animals.  They had one their members on the way in minutes so I opted to not to disturb the bird by getting it upright as being on its back is not a good position as it can interfere with breathing.'  

'The stuffed critter was collected and taken in for some rest and recovery. A day later it was sitting on a perch and seemed none the worse for the gluttonous rampage. They plan to return it to the same area as soon as recovery is complete.'


You have to check out all the photos: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261735/Fat-hawk-Bird-prey-left-sprawled-ate-coot-unable-again.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[The Peregrine Chick]

Stumbled across this rehab and release story today ... just to prove that sometimes things got all to heck due to Murphy's Law ...

Raptor release turns into rescue
Sarnia Observer - 21 June 2012

It had already been a harrowing year for a female red-tailed hawk that was set to be released Thursday.

She was seriously hurt last fall when she collided with a tractor trailer windshield on Highway 402.  She dodged a trip to the taxidermist and ended up at the Bluewater Centre for Raptor Rehabilitation.  After months of recovery, she was all set to be released at the Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area.

But things didnt go quite as planned for the hawk.


Find out what went wrong at Raptor release turns into rescue - you'll want to follow the link, there is a great video of the rescue!!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Alert after rare bird found poisoned

One of the country’s rarest birds of prey has been found poisoned at a North Yorklshire beauty spot.  The stricken red kite was found by a dog-walker as he exercised his pet in woodland at Cawthorn Roman Camps, north of Pickering.  The creature was examined by a vet and is currently being cared for at the Ryedale Wildlife Rehabilitation centre at Malton.

The species has been the subject of the longest continuous conservation project in the world, and in the 1980s was one of only three globally-threatened species in the UK. In 1989 a reintroduction programme began with a total of 93 birds being released at sites throughout Scotland and England, with the last birds being released in 1994. The first successful breeding was recorded in 1992 and in 1994 the birds raised in the wild had young themselves.

However they still face the threat of illegal poisoning - and North Yorkshire has the highest number of reports of raptor persecution in the country. PC Stewart Ashton said "Despite it being illegal to harm birds of prey, we have intelligence that people are still actively killing them in areas of Ryedale and adjacent districts. Some areas of land are particularly dangerous for these birds and I would urge anyone with any information regarding their persecution, to contact North Yorkshire Police on telephone number 101.”  He added: “If anyone wishes to remain anonymous then that isn’t a problem, but we really need the community to work with the Police in trying to stamp out the illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of these wonderful birds."

Dog-walkers have also been warned to look out for dead animals that may have been laced with poison as the poison used in these cases can often be dangerous to both humans and pet animals.  "If we receive evidence that someone is killing birds of prey, they will be arrested," said PC Ashton.

Link to story: The Advertiser - Alert after rare bird found poisoned

[Ellie]

Wonderful news.  Great to know there are others out there who are clued in to wildlife that need help and know what to do when they find them.

[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

[Alison]

Massachusetts: Hawk found injured in Provincetown recovering at Wild Care

PROVINCETOWN - A wounded young male red-tailed hawk (pictured below) who was found in a bird coop on Sal and Josephine Del Deo’s property off Atkins Mayo Road late Saturday afternoon is on the mend.

The hawk was rescued by Dennis Minsky and brought to Wild Care, Cape Cod’s emergency wildlife clinic on the Eastham-Orleans border. The hawk had raided the bird coop, killing and eating a duck. When he attempted to escape, he flew into a wall and ruptured his crop, resulting in a three-inch wound to the skin and muscles of his neck. Feathered duck flesh was protruding from the rupture site.

Wild Care’s team of rehabilitators stabilized the hawk all day Sunday. On Monday morning anesthesia and surgery to repair the rupture site was donated by Dr. Louise Morgan of Brewster Veterinary Hospital. Now on a diet of soft food and antibiotics, the hawk is recuperating well and is expected to recover fully, reported Lela Larned, director of Wild Care.

This is only the second poultry casualty the Del Deos have seen in their 50 years of having a coop, Larned said.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/provincetown/news/x1802479243/Hawk-found-injured-in-Provincetown-recovering-at-Wild-Care

[Alison]

Poisoned Red-Tailed Hawk Released Back To Wild

REPORTER: A tender moment between Joe the electrician and Josephine the rehabilitated hawk. A reunion that took 5 months to happen. Back in June, Joe, an electrician at Northampton County Community College, and ardent animal lover, spotted Josephine for the first time, struggling on a corner of the college campus.

JOE HOMAY/JOSEPHINE'S RESCUER: "She didn't look right. I didn't think it was right that a bird of prey would corner herself."

REPORTER: He quickly called the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where Barbara Miller is a capture transport specialist.

BARBARA MILLER/POCONO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER: "Red tailed hawks are nature's perfect rodent killers. She would eat close to a thousand rodents a year. But she was almost killed by a little bit of rat poison that at most would have eliminated one mouse."

REPORTER: Miller does not know where Josephine ingested the rat poison. She and her team worked quickly to flush the poison from Josephine's body. Today, Josephine flew back into the wild, winning the hearts of everyone who gathered to watch.

JOE HOMAY/JOSEPHINE'S RESCUER: "It's a great feeling that I made a difference in her life, I hope she lives a long, safe and healthy life now."

REPORTER: Joe continues to make a difference in animals' lives, presenting the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center with a check for $100.

BARBARA MILLER/POCONO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER: "She is the healthiest strongest red tailed hawk I have ever seen. And the fact that she is very healthy is being witnessed by the local crows who aren't really happy to see her back."

REPORTER: Unlike Josephine's competitors, Joe is thrilled to know Josephine is now free to fly.

link to source:  http://wfmz.com/view/?id=1304456
The video: http://wfmz.img.entriq.net/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1304456&v=a

[Alison]

Another sad loss today: Shasta, a resident Red-tailed Hawk at Wild Wings, who was almost 25 years old.

A tribute to Shasta from the site:

It is with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that our beloved Shasta has passed away. At almost 25 years old, Shasta educated many people throughout the years at countless programs. I would often say he more than earned his rats. Shasta without a doubt had the sweetest demeanor for a red-tailed hawk and anyone who had the privilege to work with him, loved him.        

We fondly called him Shasta Doodles or Mr. Peepers. He “peeped” daily, never missed a meal and was visited often by a wild female red-tailed hawk. In his later years, he lost a lot of his feathers and appeared to have “Mohawk” style of feathers on his head. These lovable unique traits made Shasta so endearing.        

He was fortunate enough to spend his last days outside in beautiful fall weather, flapping his wings, calling his girlfriend, and taking in the sunshine’s warmth. Sadly though, his heart gave out on November 18th, 2009.          

For those of us who choose to work with animals, it is inevitable to feel this terrible sadness. Shasta had a wonderful life surrounded by people who cared and loved him daily. For all of you, whom through the years, adopted Shasta or made a donation to Wild Wings, thank you for making his life better and allowing him to eat so well and have phenomenal care. We are so very grateful.
      
Fly free now Shasta and call to all the red-tails in the skies. You will be forever loved, missed and remembered.

“Somewhere over the horizon and beyond the farthest shore, the spirits of our departed friends in peace eternally soar.”

Back in 2007, Shasta found a girlfriend:  http://www.wildwingsinc.org/store.asp?pid=19516