Raptor Trust News

[Donna]

Look who's at The Raptor Trust!
Snowy Owls are occasional winter visitors in these parts, expanding their range during the colder months after their warm summer breeding season in the arctic.
This young male Snowy (Bubo scandiacus) came in recently with an injured wing. The tip of his wing has been severed and pieces of bone are missing. There is tissue and feather damage as well.
Unfortunately this injury will prevent this amazing and beautiful owl from being released back into the wild. He is still healing up post surgery and we're not sure where he will end up, but he may become a permanent resident here at The Raptor Trust. It has been several years since we had a resident Snowy and we know that many people enjoyed seeing them here when they visited.
We will keep you posted and who knows, maybe you'll see this owl on display at your next visit here soon!

[MAK]

Looks to have a nice full crop! 

[Donna]

http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2016/02/peregrine_falcon_released_in_nj_after_wing_mends.html

Peregrine falcon released after recovery from broken bones! 

My daughter's friend Joe and his wife found the little one in Nov. on his Uncle's property.

A peregrine falcon in a flight cage at the Raptor Trust in Millington. The bird has been rehabilitating from bone injuries since Nov. 2015 and was released back into the wild at Clinton Wildlife Management Area near Spruce Run Reservoir. Union Township, NJ

[MAK]

  Gorgeous falcon! 

[Dot_Forrester]

Terrific news! 

Dot in PA, a former Jersey girl

[Donna]

Terrific news! 

Dot in PA, a former Jersey girl

Did we know this?? Where in Jersey???   

[Dot_Forrester]

Donna, I don't know if I've mentioned it before or not. I grew up in Mount Holly (south of Trenton near Fort Dix) and stayed in the area for college and work until I married and moved away. It's been a good while since I lived there, but once a Jersey girl, always a Jersey girl, right? 

Dot in PA

Terrific news! 

Dot in PA, a former Jersey girl

Did we know this?? Where in Jersey???   

[Donna]

Donna, I don't know if I've mentioned it before or not. I grew up in Mount Holly (south of Trenton near Fort Dix) and stayed in the area for college and work until I married and moved away. It's been a good while since I lived there, but once a Jersey girl, always a Jersey girl, right? 

Dot in PA

Terrific news! 

Dot in PA, a former Jersey girl

Did we know this?? Where in Jersey???   

I have been to Fort Dix, and yes!!!! 

but once a Jersey girl, always a Jersey girl, right? 

[Donna]

http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/push-pause-nj-nature-raptor-trust#.Vy01GoQrLIW Well done video!

[Kris G.]

http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/push-pause-nj-nature-raptor-trust#.Vy01GoQrLIW Well done video!

        Great place!

[Donna]

Fun Fact Friday
Did You Know? Raptors make great foster parents!
We often receive juvenile raptors during the spring and summer breeding season. We have cared for thousands of them, and while we do a pretty good job, when we can place them with surrogate parents of their own species, we do because they do a better job!
Every once in a while, we are fortunate enough to have a female permanent resident bird of breeding age who is willing (and often delighted!) to take in the orphaned babies we receive and raise them as her own. Years ago we had a wonderful Great horned owl mother named Hootie who raised up as many as 15 or 20 baby owlets every breeding season for years on end. Hundreds of baby Great horneds learned all about how to be "real owls" from Hootie.
Right now one of our resident Peregrine falcons, Georgette, is bringing up two young chicks who were displaced from their nest. Georgette is helping shepherd them back into the wild with the advantage of being raised by one of their own kind
Providing the right environment for them in this process is critical. Quality caging with a variety of perching options, platforms for roosting, boxes for nest building and privacy for bringing up the youngsters all play a part in the success of these efforts. Our generous donors make it possible for us to build and maintain these structures. THANKS!!

Georgette  That's a small box

[Donna]

FISHING LINE strikes again.

On Monday, 8/1, we received a visit from a local fisherman who said he found an owl hanging by fishing wire from a tree over the water at a nearby pond in Warren. We packed up our hip waders, nets and rescue gear and headed out immediately.

We found the distressed Great Horned Owl in the pictures below, indeed, hanging by fishing wire over the pond.

The bird was not only tangled in fishing line, but had a large fishing lure and hook deeply embedded in his wrist. The lure had a sharp barb on it, so we had to push the the lure through the back of his wing to clip the barb off.

This bird has suffered severed soft tissue damage and is in care at The Raptor Trust.

The location where the bird was found, Dealaman Pond in Warren, is a horrific mess of fishing trash. Line, wire, bobbers, lures and other waste hanging from nearly every tree near the water, posing a threat not just to birds and wildlife but the public, fishermen, children and all who visit.

Dealaman Pond is listed as a Nature Trail where people are encouraged to hike, fish and enjoy the outdoors. We urge the Township of Warren to address this issue and schedule a clean up day to avoid any further incidents at this heavily used public park.

  UGH!! 

[Carol P.]

Ugh! For sure Donna! Hate this. If I see it and I can reach it, I clean it up. 

[AlisonL]

So glad this beautiful GHO was rescued, and that he is in a good place where he will be well cared for. I hope he will be able to make a full recovery from his ordeal.

An August 4 update from The Raptor Trust:

Great Horned Owl Update

We took x-rays of the owl which was found tangled in fishing line on Monday. The wing thankfully did not show any broken bones. There is pretty significant tissue damage where the fishhook was removed, and quite a bit of bruising around the area. No doubt the bird was struggling to free itself, and we do not know how long it was hanging there.

The bird is not holding his wing up properly - it is drooping quite a bit, which is not good. We can stabilize the wing and as the bruises and tissue heal, we will see how it goes. It's too early to tell what the final disposition will be because this healing will take time. All we can say right now is that we were encouraged that the bird did not suffer broken bones or any apparent loss of circulation from being wrapped up in the fishing line.

[AlisonL]

An article on the injured Great Horned Owl at The Raptor Trust, and the dangers of fishing line and other items:

http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/millington-s-raptor-trust-cares-for-wounded-owl-warns-of/article_41e9db0e-cc82-55a3-89d5-592cfa640bfe.html