High on the "things that IRK me" list...

I usually restrict the posts on this site to video clips of HawkTalk, but I can't let this one slide past without comment and hoping that you will also let this facility know what you think about how their non-flighted raptors are being treated. This YouTube clip was posted on AWARE's FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Atlanta-Wild-Animal-Rescue-Effort-AWARE/158382607515683 , where I also found a photo of one very young and very wet Barred owl sitting in the lap of a 'volunteer', being blown dry with a hair dryer! If you click on the 'YouTube' version, you will see AWARE's inane comments back to me when I asked why this non-flighted bird was being treated in such a manner. Imagine how horribly frustrating it must be for this once proud and magnificient animal now being forced to perform like a wounded circus monkey just to get a meal. This makes me SICK.

"Catfish" has gone home!

Having a nice chat with "Lizard"

We're gonna need a money bomb...

Don't feed 'em after midnight and don't get 'em wet...

"Lizard" feeding himself! 4th baby Barred arrives!

Holy cow, we need Mouse Money! I wish they ate Cheerios...that would be a lot cheaper... www.hawktalk.org

Barred owl babies update!

Lunch for "Lizard", the Great horned owl

"Lizard" update...

Possum alert!

Live every day like Earth Day!

Good morning y’all… It’s crisp this morning at about 50 degrees, but the sun is out and we’ve been invited to bring some owls to a Harry Potter themed birthday party! I wish I had a Hedwig, but I’d need to cooler to keep him comfy in the hot summer months… We had a big time at Cohutta Country Store yesterday up in Blue Ridge. Dr. Jim and Laurie McClearen are the owners and asked us to take part in their Earth Day event. Dr. McClearen was the first vet I worked for back in ’83 and thanks to him, I am living my soul’s desire as he was kind enough to mentor me in raptor rehab so I could qualify for my own rehab license all those years ago. I hug him hard every time I see him! Their site http://www.cohuttacountrystore.com/Blue_Ridge_Georgia/ The day started out ookey, but the rain burned off and the sun came out and a good time was had by all! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to visit and sign up for our goofy newsletters. A BIG HawkTalk hug goes out to my friend and sub-permittee Liz Nicholas, for lending her help, along with some really cool bio-items for the kids to check out. She also made the wall you see behind the young lady holding Nigel in the photo below. (and she makes killer cupcakes, too!) http://artwithaconscience.com/ She’s a very talented artist and has proven herself a natural in the science of raptor rehab! Nigel was in rare form yesterday and helped make a few folks very happy…

These is a 16 year old llama belonging to Kurt Pihera and Dr. Karen Oertly who runs the clinic next door.

These are alpacas that helped out at the event, too…don’cha just want to squeeze them?

This is a recent shot of the baby barred owls that I’ll be hacking out soon…the little monkeys!

The Barred owl, “Catfish”, that was tangled up in fishing line started out like this: (thanks to Scott from DNR for his assistance and photo)

Wounds looked really bad when he presented…

But now looks like this! He’ll be ready to go soon, but I can’t seem to get the Good Samaritans to contact me…maybe they aren’t interested?

All it takes is a willingness to give of yourself to help those who don’t have a voice…thank you to everyone who has donated Mouse Money. Your donations, whoever small, allows HawkTalk to continue to our mission and in the midst of this sagging economy, it’s getting scarier and scarier. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. If you can manage it, go outside and enjoy your day. You never know…it could be your last. ….m. www.hawktalk.org

Lizard, the great horned owl...

Hailstorm...

Update on "Catfish", the Barred owl...

This poor dear was caught up in fishing line two weeks ago and looked really bad when presented. Depressed for days, I had to force feed to keep him alive. I cannot imagine how painful this injury much have been...

Thank you so much for helping HawkTalk financially, so that we may continue to assist the injured and orphaned birds of prey in the north Gerogia area. www.hawktalk.org

My girls enjoying a snacky...

Update on "Catfish"...

This is the barred owl that got tangled up with that mean old fishing line...

...love is in the air!

Hey y’all,

It’s been an early spring and the only baby calls I’ve gotten so far have been for Great horned owls. After I have reviewed their photos to determine whether it needs more time in the nest, I have then been able to guide the good Samaritans in the installation of a basket for the little tike. One golf course called me yesterday with a good report to say the youngster has now transitioned onto the 2x4 they had first nailed to the tree! I asked him to bring a ‘real’ camera (rather than his cell phone) and I would post it.

Re-nesting DOES work and is the best possible scenario for Great horned owl babies because for some reason, they refuse to hang around once I open the doors, even with all the operant conditioning stuff I do.

Here is a pic of a baby Great horned owl that hit the ground too soon and has been given a helping hand by some very caring humans…

All this said, it is NORMAL for young raptors to fledge before they can fly and unfortunately, this is how many of them are accidentally orphaned. If it’s possible to leave them be, do so and the parents will care for them on the ground while they are testing their wings, but sometimes subdivisions/dogs/cats/motorways/idiot kids with sticks sometime force us to intervene and rescue the baby to raise and hack out here at the sanctuary.

HawkTalk has provided 6 of the 15 photos for the web site “Environmental Graffiti” for an article entitled, “15 Ridiculously Adorable Baby Owls”! If the reader clicks on my name at the bottom of the image, they will be directed to our site where they can learn about our mission. http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-15-cute-and-fluffy-baby-owls?image=14

In other news, I received 2 cases within 24 hours…the video clip is below this entry.


This is what fishing line does to birds…please be mindful with your line!

I know life sucks for a lot of people right now, but we really need a helping hand in the form of Mouse Money. You would be surprised how I can stretch five dollars. Please help us by going over to our site www.hawktalk.org and click on the ‘donate’ button where it will take you over to PayPal, which is just as safe as handing your credit/debit card to wait staff at a diner. If the electronic thing gives you the willies, you can snail mail us a check to:

Monteen McCord
HawkTalk
P.O. Box 130
Holly Springs, GA 30142

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog….m.

Barred owl in fishing line...

Two cases arrive within 24 hrs...