Another hawk rescue

We have a local group that rehabilitates injured wildlife, and has a fed permit for raptors. I took them a redtail with a broken wing a few years back (after getting the go-ahead from DNR, of course) and they let it go at the school after he was ready.

This sweet lil' gal, a yearling redtail, apparently ate some lead - tainted deer guts, and it paralyzed a leg and wing. Coworker brought her to me at school, and i took her to the rescue people. She was given chelation compounds to counteract the lead and is now gaining weight. She should make it.




EDIT - Irresponsible to post this without explaining a bit more,sorry ....some Teacher!!

The beak and talons look so powerful. I assume she is a little bit docile from being used to human handling?

Nope,she's just "out of it" from the lead. I was just transferring her from a kennel cage my coworker brought her in to a cardboard box for transport to the rescue guys.

This male, (the other one I found) would have torn me up if I tried holding it!
Took 30 minutes to capture with a rubbermaid box. A little 12" tall screech owl that was hit by a car got me pretty good once.

so....The pic in original post? Don't try this at home kids! always wanted to say that....

If you find an injured raptor, Just Put a rubbermaid container, stout cardboard box, over the bird,or shoo it in a pet carrier. I have used a large blanket also. Keep in vehicle if temp allows. You want keep it as dark and quiet as possible to avoid stress and call wildlife guys ASAP
and DON'T FEED!

They had to purge her of some well-intentioned raw steak to get the meds to work,

I came close to capturing an eagle. Had called folks that do rehab and they asked if I could do it. Sad but I never managed it but the bird definitely had something wrong with it. I did get within 3 feet of it once! Amazing to be that close and when it flew, wow!

We had this one on the porch railing today. It was looking for some sparrows that found cover up on the porch.
Juvenile sharp-shinned I believe. Lousy pictures through the screen.

Bold little guy! Bet you see him again, especially if you have a feeder.

Several years ago (before digital camera) I had a barn owl sitting in a tree one Sunday afternoon.
A couple days later he was sitting on the ground in front of the garage.
It let me pick it up with welding gloves and placed it in a tote, while waiting for the raptor rescue it died.

Thought it would be neat to have it mounted - after multiple transfers from varying DNCR agencies and a couple taxidermists explaining the rigid restrictions on raptor taxidermy in the US, I was told to through it out in the woods. Taxidermist said if he were to order glass eyes & forms federal marshalls would be at his doorstep the next day
Apparently a lawyer sued the state to mount one he had found and lost as well.
Only learning institutions/museums are alotted permits. Seems a waste, but I understand the reason to keep folks from shooting them. $10k fine for possesion - even a talon or feather

Cool work you're doing with the rehab

Thank you - have seen a few die unfortunately also -

About age 17, a buddy and I hit a large Barred owl coming back from a successful turkey hunt and called the PA Game and fish guys. I was in scouts and had seen some of thier neat presentations with live and stuffed raptors, so i asked if we could donate it. Silence on the line for several seconds, then:

"Let me get this straight. You two have been driving around with a dead legal turkey, a dead owl and 2 shotguns?!?! Bury it, stupid!"

Whoops

Good to see a good outcome to a bad situation.

I was stalked by a barred owl while I was in a treestand one time. All I had moved was my head, and my goatee probably looked like a squirrel. It was so quiet- seemed to just hop into the tree, then to a closer tree, and closer- until I finally got scared and waved my arms. I'm no dummy- I know I was up in his world.

When I was about 16 or so I climbed up into a deer stand early one morning...still pitch black dark. I got all settled in and a little while later I saw something huge flapping around out of the corner of my eye. I was freaked out because it was about 8' from me...moving around like crazy and completely silent. A couple seconds later...it took off out of the tree. Turns out it was a great big owl was in the tree and I disturbed him. Still can't believe it didn't take off sooner. I

I'm usually not afraid of anything I'll come across in the woods, even in the dark, (except maybe a tweaker at a meth lab) but that thing...wow... thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest.

I was sitting at the base of a tree deer hunting one year in a hemlock stand. It was on the shady side of the mountain in late afternoon, getting near dusk. It was a beautiful evening, cool and calm, around a foot of snow on the ground. All of the sudden I hear a woosh woosh WOOOOSH!! I slowly looked up amidst the snow and crap falling off of that tree and there was a huge great horned owl around 12 feet above me in a branch. Wow, what a rush that was. In a matter of seconds he looked down, saw me, and took to flight again. I didn't realize how big those were until then, it was awesome to see one up close in the wild like that! He had to have a 6' wingspan......

Very cool osagebow. Thanks for posting this. Got anymore pics of birds of prey?

Thanks Gasifier - No more good pics - they're tough to get!

This guy was on my family property last year. For some reason he does not like birds of prey. Or Cuomo's new law!