Barn Owl Babies
May 2009
A large metal sign at a shop in Santa Cruz was dismantled, revealing an intact barn owl nest. The caring shop owners called for help. In the rain, a team from WildRescue quickly constructed an owl box in place of the sign. After being held at a local local rehabilitation facility for two days, they were returned on that Sunday night. Both parents were spotted - one dropped food into the nest box.
WildRescue volunteers went back Monday night and watched the nest from afar. No parents were seen going into the nest during those hours. Cloud cover and drizzle may have made hunting rodents more difficult for the parents. The nest and babies were monitored for a few days until we were convinced the parents were feeding the young normally.
Weeks went by and finally all five babies fledged and could be spotted in the evening, calling to their parents and practicing flight.
Barn owls are common in urban settings. They are cavity dwellers, nesting in hollows of trees, in caves, barns, or even signs. The barn owl is becoming increasingly popular for rodent control as they are known to consume twice as much weight in prey than other owls. For instance, a maturing barn owl baby may consume the equivalent of a dozen mice in one night.
Unfortunately, one danger to owls and other predators is the use of pesticides. People who put out poisoned bait, rodenticide, to control rats and mice are essentially exposing local wildlife, as well as dogs and cats, to secondary poisoning. It has been proven that animals that consume dead or dying rodents that have eaten poisoned bait can suffer irreversible damage to their organs and can die. There is no safe rodenticide in the US. Barn owls though, are gaining recognition worldwide for controlling rodents better than poison.
RECENT ARTICLE ON RODENTICIDE USE IN SANTA CRUZ
For more of rodenticide and its threat to wildlife:
Cooper's Hawk
April 2009
A Cooper's Hawk was helped out of the North Berkeley Bart station by the heroic efforts of a newly recruited team of rescuers in the San Francisco Bay area. The bird had flown in the afternoon before, likely in pursuit of a small bird. Once inside, with the many windows, it could not figure its way out. The confused and frightened hawk repeatedly hit against the glass windows as it tried to escape. Despite its predicament however, the hawk made a meal of a sparrow before help arrived. Once on scene, the team worked together in coming up with a plan that would work. A ladder was used to close in on the hawk in one of the alcoves. A bed sheet was used to block its escape. Rescuers then netted the terrified animal. Moments later the bird was free at last. Thanks to all - Chris, Lisa, Nancy, Harv, Corinne and the folks at the North Berkeley Bart station!!! Bravo, bravo.
Band-tailed Pigeon
March 2009
Photo courtesy of Wildlife
Center Silicon Valley
This handsome band-tailed pigeon was captured early March. He was suffering from a severe case of Trichomoniasis. Thanks to the expert care by wildlife rehabilitators at Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley, it survived the extensive treatment and was released to its home flock on Saturday, April 18th. Watch the video of it being returned home. You can see a dove eyeing his cage suspiciously.
6 Gray Fox Kits
This gray fox kit, along with five siblings, was rescued March 25th, 2009 near Pajaro. We received a call in the evening from a concerned resident - the young foxes had been found in their yard, scattered about, having strayed from their den - a sign that something may have happened to the mother.
Our rescue team collected the lot of them, gave them fluid and food and kept them warm overnight, hoping the mother would be seen in the area the next morning when they could attempt to reunite the family.Unfortunately, there was no sign of her. The kits, alert and active, were transported by WildRescue volunteer, Patricia, to the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley near San Jose, where they will undergo rehabilitation for their subsequent return to the wild. Thank you one and all for helping these youngsters!
Pinky
November 2008
It was December, 2008 when WildRescue received word about a turkey that was wandering around Castro Valley with an arrow through its body. One concerned family who were fond of the wild turkey's that frequented their neighborhood, and who named this one Pinky, had called many places seeking help. They had been told told that if it could fly, it could not be caught.
Once notified of the dilemma, WildRescue's capture team set out to beat they odds, and they did. So did Pinky!After a couple of attempts, Pinky was captured and transferred to International Bird Rescue Research Center for surgery. It was touch and go for three days. The arrow had broken a bone in the heavy bird's leg. Fortunately for Pinky however, he hadn't been captured early on as the arrow had actually acted as a splint allowing his leg bone to fuse back together.
On December 22nd, Pinky was returned to his range in Castro Valley and set free. He has been seen often since.
See more on Pinky at the following links: