Norfolk Eagles in their new nest

[Dumpsterkitty]

December 7 update

Dr. Dave reports that NX continues to remain bright and alert.  She did eat last night, though not all of her food — the untouched food contained her evening medications.  Dr. Dave and team will be catching NX up tonight to ensure she receives her medications.  The vet staff will also get a current weight on her, using an XXL “raptor wrapperâ€� that someone recently made for the Center!

She's no dummy! 

[Donna]

December 8 update

NX continues down the road to recovery.  She ate everything last night and once again kept her food down.  The vets will check out her GI tract again on radiographs, which will be taken on December 9, but at this point, Dr. Dave anticipates that they will not need to scope NX.

NX was weighed today [wrapped up tightly in a "raptor wrapper"] and is 3.55 kg.  While this is down from her initial weight on December 2, the veterinary team isn’t concerned.  Her initial weight included her transmitter [80 grams] and a crop full of rancid deer meat [which she regurgitated on her first night in the hospital].  Also given the fact that she had to be fasted prior to radiographs, the vets aren’t surprised that NX’s weight has decreased a bit.  She’ll likely put that weight back on in a matter of days as she continues to recover.

Dr. Dave affixes a “tail guard� to NX’s tail to protect it while housed indoors:

Raptor wrapper

[MAK]

Thanks Donna! 

[Donna]

December 9 update

NX was anesthetized this morning for another series of radiographs.  Dr. Miranda and Dr. Dave closely examined NX’s left coracoid and were able to definitively confirm a fracture today.  Not only is her coracoid fractured, but it has “avulsedâ€� – meaning that the fractured portion of bone has actually been pulled away by the tension of a ligament or a tendon.

Dr. Miranda replaced the body wrap on NX, which is securely holding her left wing against her body.  The wrap will remain on for the next two weeks.  Another set of radiographs will be taken during the week of December 19.  The veterinary team hope to see evidence of healing by that point – the fractured area may form a callous, or her body may actually absorb the chunk of bone that has pulled away from the fracture.

NX’s right eye injury is unchanged at this point, though her lacerations are healing nicely.  The carpal wound on her right “wristâ€� is still swollen, but continues to slowly heal.  Dr. Miranda noted that NX’s GI tract looked “much happierâ€� on radiographs today, indicating that no scoping would be needed at this time.

[Donna]

Eagles at Norfolk Botanical Garden

No nest building, but they did spend some time together in the nest early this morning.

[AlisonL]

Today's update on NX:

December 12 update

NX continues to remain bright, alert, and feisty. She is eating well and finished up her course of medications over the weekend. Dr. Miranda decided to change the treatment procedure for NX’s right carpal [wrist] wound; on Saturday, Dr. Miranda applied a small, moist bandage to the area in hopes of encouraging the dry, scabby wound to heal more efficiently.

   

[MAK]

 

[Dumpsterkitty]

Asleep in Nest Tree Tonight (Dec 12)

For the first time since Dec 5, both of the adult eagles are spending the night in the nest tree tonight. Photo 2 they have their heads tucked in.

[Kris G.]

Asleep in Nest Tree Tonight (Dec 12)

For the first time since Dec 5, both of the adult eagles are spending the night in the nest tree tonight. Photo 2 they have their heads tucked in.

 

[Donna]

Buddy update:

December 14, 2011

On Monday, December 12, the Kjellstrom & Lee construction crew needed to get into Buddy’s enclosure to replace a pipe in Buddy’s swimming pool.  Since Buddy needed to vacate the enclosure for the crew to get work done, the veterinary staff decided that they may as well get a bit of “workâ€� done on Buddy himself at the same time and brought him down to the clinic.

Dr. Dave coped Buddy – a bit early, but preferable to having to catch the eagle up again in two weeks’ time. Dr. Dave dremmeled Buddy’s beak and shaved off two to three millimeters off of the lower beak, and one to two millimeters off of the top of the beak.  The next dremmel session is scheduled for late January 2012.

Center vets also gave Buddy his annual physical exam, which included blood work and a series of radiographs.  Buddy appears to be in good health, and the vet staff found no significant findings on in-house blood work or radiographs.

Buddy eye exam December 2011When Dr. Miranda performed an eye exam on Buddy, she did find something unusual – in both of his eyes, there are rounded, fluid-filled areas within the pecten.  The pecten is the “nourishingâ€� part of a bird’s eye, and is not responsible for sight.  These type of cysts on a bird’s pecten could be congenital, the results of an infection, or just “idiopathicâ€� – meaning it just happens, and we don’t know why!  In Buddy’s case, the veterinarians could easily rule out a congenital cause – Buddy’s eyes are examined every year, and these cysts were not present before.  The team could also rule out infection, as there are no other parts of Buddy’s eyes that look abnormal, and all blood work is within normal limits.  That just means that we’re not quite sure why his eyes look like this – but there’s no cause for concern.  The vets will check Buddy’s eyes again in six months.

Buddy will actually be staying in his “old house� for a couple of days while the work in his eagle palace continues.

[MAK]

  Thanks for the update Donna! What a little Buddy! 

[Donna]

Norfolk Botanical Garden, WVEC prep for eagle season

NORFOLK  – The folks at Norfolk Botanical Garden are preparing for the 2011-2012 eagle season.

On Thursday, barriers in the garden protecting the area around the eagle nest were installed.
The barriers are the same as last season and will restrict the pathway through the Renaissance Court and the Matson Garden area roads.

In November, three new state-of-the-art cameras were installed near the nest thanks to a donation from David McDonald. Two cameras focus on the nest while the third camera provides images of the beautiful surrounding area, including various perches used by the eagles when they are not on the nest.

“Norfolk Botanical Garden is pleased once again to be able to help provide the informative and educational video of this fascinating nature activity,� commented Don Buma, executive director for Norfolk Botanical Garden. “As visitors from around world view this pair of eagles, it is our hope that each person acquires a greater appreciation of plants and animals and the environment in which they live.�

The plans are to begin broadcasting 24/7 with sound, sometime in the beginning of January.
This one-of-a-kind experience is made possible through a partnership with Virginia Department of Game Inland Fisheries, WVEC, and Norfolk Botanical Garden.

The Eagle Cam provides a unique and close-up view of the daily lives of a wild pair of Bald Eagles.  The pair being a male that has nested at the Norfolk Botanical Garden for eight years and his new female mate.

You may recall the male eagle’s former mate was killed last spring after being struck by an airplane.  Their eaglets were moved to the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro.

You will be able to access the Eagle Cam right here on WVEC.com.  We will host the video feed and post slideshows of activity at the nest.

[AlisonL]

I hope Buddy's eyes will not cause him any problems.

The most recent update on NX:

December 14 update

NX weighed in at 3.82 kgs today — she continues to eat well.  The wound on her right carpus continues to heal slowly — Dr. Miranda is checking and changing the small dressing over her wound daily.

[AlisonL]

Today's update on NX:

December 23 update

The vet staff continue to catch up NX each day to monitor her bandages and change as needed.  NX continues to eat well — she’s now weighing in at 4.09 kgs!

[MAK]