AND THEY HAVE THEIR 1ST EGG!!



We have the first egg of our 2011 Blackwater Eagle Cam season!! The eagle parents caught us off guard, as this is the earliest we've had an egg on the cam since it went online. We would expect to see another egg in 2-3 days.

CONGRATS!!!!!

[Golden EaglePATIENT: Golden Eagle, #11-0017LOCATION OF RESCUE: Craig County, VirginiaCAUSE OF ADMISSION: Caught in a leghold trapADMISSION DATE: January 11, 2011PROGNOSIS: Guarded]

Golden Eagle

PATIENT:  Golden Eagle, #11-0017

LOCATION OF RESCUE:  Craig County, Virginia

CAUSE OF ADMISSION:   Caught in a leghold trap

ADMISSION DATE:  January 11, 2011

PROGNOSIS:  Guarded

On Tuesday, January 11, the Wildlife Center received its first eagle patient of the year — a Golden Eagle from Craig County, Virginia.  The eagle was found with its toe caught in a leghold trap and was rescued by Conservation Police Officer J.W. Koloda on January 9.  Officer Koloda brought the bird to permitted wildlife rehabilitator Gwenn Johnston, who brought the eagle to the Wildlife Center the following day.

The Golden Eagle’s third toe on its right foot has an old, necrotic fracture that is down to the bone.  In addition, the veterinary team found a superficial wound on the left side of the bird’s beak; however, the underlying bone is stable and intact.  Preliminary bloodwork revealed that the Golden Eagle is extremely anemic.

Once the bird’s bloodwork is more stable, radiographs of the foot will be taken and surgery will be scheduled.  The veterinary team should be able to safely amputate the end of the toe, with no long-term ill effects to the bird.  In the meantime, the eagle is quiet but alert and is receiving pain medications, anti-inflammatories, and antibiotics in addition to an iron injection to treat the anemia.

Golden Eagles are more commonly found in the western United States and Canada and are typically only winter visitors to Virginia.  While Golden Eagles are uncommon patients at the Center, it’s not uncommon for them to get caught in a leghold trap.  In addition to 11-0017, Golden Eagles admitted to the Center in 2006 and 2009 were rescued from these traps.


Golden Eagles can sometimes be mistaken for juvenile Bald Eagles.  One identifying characteristic is the feathering on their legs down to their toes, while a Bald Eagle’s lower legs are bare.

Oh yeah, it's great to be a female bear!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/8241122/Heart-warming-pictures-of-injured-polar-bear-who-has-had-twin-cubs-in-Alaska.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8190410/Antarctic-cruise-ship-tossed-by-massive-waves.html first time in 150 cruises, this has happened.

Interesting article Bobbie. Here's another on tracking Emperor Penguins by their Pooh from space.

Satellite images have picked up giant red-brown stains on the pristine white sea ice, indicating the presence of thousands of penguins.

It meant that researchers for the British Antarctic Survey were able to locate every colony on the continent for the first time ever.

The in-depth satellite survey identified 38 breeding colonies - believed to amount to between 200,000 and 400,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins.

Until now it has been difficult to accurately estimate the population of emperor penguins because scientists have not been able to track them during the winter breeding season.

Researchers now hope by tracking the penguin colonies they can monitor the impact of climate change, which threatens to wipe out 95 per cent of the population by 2100.

This satellite image shows white Antarctic ice stained brown by Emperor penguin guano in Atka Bay in the northern part of Antarctica

But Byron-Bergen is stuck at 17th. 

Oh we'll get em up Kris!!

Derek & Savannah are getting the nest ready!

55 this morning!   

53 now 

[Welcome aboard mis0350! Don't be a lurker now....ya hear?]

Welcome aboard mis0350! Don't be a lurker now....ya hear?

What a good piece on a Merlin from Bob Marcotte.

http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/birds/?m=201101

Bobbie

Yeah it is!!!

Look what Miss Bobbin has!!! 

Yesterday morning Jan 10 the female moved a large piece of rotting tree trunk that has been in the back of the nest for about two weeks (you can see it in previously posted photos) to the front edge of the nest blocking our camera view into the bottom of the nest (photos 1-3). This morning the male moved that piece of wood to the right side restoring our view into the nest pocket (at least for now). Note you can see the eagle’s feet in last photo.

At Midnight last night, Jan 12, Azalea was in First Landing State Park near White Hill Lake. She left Chesapeake and the A&C Canal area early the afternoon of Jan 9 and flew directly to First Landing. She has spent the last 3 nights there. During the days of Jan 10 and 11 she has flown all over the Linkhorn Bay, Broad Bay, Alanton, and Baycliff areas of Virginia Beach. Azalea has paid brief visits to First Landing S.P. before, but this is her first time to stay overnight here.

Brave little guy. Thanks Bobbie, ya done good!