C is for Cuckoo 

Thanks Carol and everyone who is continuing to vote each day for this great cause! A reminder- the voting continues until November 12th and you can vote once per day.

Lexie absolutely has my votes. Praying she wins.

Hi everyone!  Purely by accident, I spotted Beauty yesterday around 4:45 pm flying across Exchange Blvd and landing on Mercury's outstretched hand.  It's the first time I've seen her in many months since I work in High Falls and don't get many chances to walk up to the 4 corners area.  So after being extremely aggravated that they had closed the Court St. bridge, necessitating turning around and heading back towards Broad Street, my aggravation turned to joy when I spotted Beauty!  I hope to talk a stroll on the pedestrian bridge today at noontime, and hope I see some watchers 

Sue (Bess)

Thanks Bess, glad you saw Beauty.

Good job Miss Aafke...went well. Are we suppose to keep going until we run out of birds?

Bobcat Patient

PATIENT:  Bobcat, #10-2123

 LOCATION OF RESCUE:  Prince George County, Virginia

 CAUSE OF ADMISSION:  Found by the side of the road

ADMISSION DATE:  October 15, 2010

PROGNOSIS:  Likely releasable

BobcatOn Friday, October 15, the Wildlife Center admitted a rather feisty young patient — a juvenile Bobcat.  The bobcat was found in early September by the side of the road in Prince George County.  Her rescuers picked her up and took her to Joyce Bulls, a permitted rehabilitator in Sussex County.  Joyce became concerned about the bobcat’s ability to hear, so she arranged to transfer the cat to the Wildlife Center.

Upon admission, the veterinary team sedated the very alert and aggressive bobcat so they could perform a complete physical exam.  The young bobcat — a female — is smaller than expected for one seen at this time of year; however, this could be a young cat from a second litter, or could just be naturally small in size.   Weighing in at a little more than seven pounds, the bobcat is in good body condition, though several types of parasites were found when a fecal examination was performed.  The veterinarians started the bobcat on medications to kill off the parasites and also treated for fleas.  The bobcat was also found to be slightly anemic, which could be due to the parasites or her diet.

Currently the young bobcat is being housed in an outdoor isolation pen until her parasites are gone.  Follow- up bloodwork and a fecal analysis will be performed on October 22.  So far, the bobcat doesn’t seem to have trouble hearing, though further assessment will be needed.
October 19 update

When veterinary extern students checked on the bobcat on Tuesday, October 19th, they noted that the feline was mildly disoriented.  After observation, the students noted that the bobcat exhibited slight head tremors and seemed most uncoordinated when trying to localize a sound or person.  The bobcat can turn around quickly though and can make calculated movements.  This disorientation could be related to the anemia, an infectious disease, or a number of other things.  Additional monitoring is needed, and the veterinary team may decide to anesthetize her earlier than the end of the week for a more thorough check-up.
October 25 update

The mild disorientation of the bobcat that was noted last week has been improving; the bobcat is now maneuvering around her cage while focusing her attention on the humans who are present.  This lack of coordination is puzzling – it could simply be stress, or perhaps something more serious.   Dr. Miranda Sadar did some extensive journal research and identified another possibility – a protozoan parasite  that can cause some serious problems for felines – including bobcats and domestic house cats.    While this parasite is difficult to pinpoint, to be on the safe side, special medications were ordered last week to treat this particular parasite.

On Monday, October 25, the veterinary team anesthetized the bobcat so that they could perform a thorough physical exam as well as deliver the new medication through an injection.  Dr. Kelly Flaminio led the team through this examination and found the bobcat to be in even better body condition than when she first arrived.  The cat has  been eating well and gained more than a half a pound since admission.  No fleas were found, though some internal parasites were found when another fecal examination was performed.

Dr. Kelly and the veterinary extern students paid special attention to the bobcat’s teeth during this physical exam so that they could more accurately guesstimate her age,bobcat teethwhich they think is about six months.  While examining her teeth, however, they identified another issue – the bobcat’s lower jaw is asymmetric and her canines and incisors are growing in incorrectly.  Radiographs of her jaw were taken and a spot was seen that could indicate an old fracture, perhaps one that occurred when she was originally rescued from the roadside.

While the bobcat’s teeth and jaw do not seem to be causing her any problems now, additional consultation is needed before making decisions about her future.

After her physical exam and treatment, the bobcat was moved to the Center’s bear pen, to allow her more room to move around.

P is for Pterodactyl

L is for Loon

I is for Ibis

D is for DoDo

Thought for Today

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

That's what kids are for! 

X Xenops....thank you google!

To judge a man's character by only one of its manifestations is like judging the sea by a jugful of its water.

-Paul Eldridge

  very good!

S for Swainson's Hawk

O for Osprey

L is for Lapwing?