Mariah’s Condition Improving, Surgery Planned
We’re happy to report the latest news on Mariah, courtesy of DEC Wildlife Technician Mike Allen:
Received another update this morning, Mariah is being a model patient, standing and eating on her own – the veterinarian is planning to do surgery on the throat wound but not until next week. They wanted to make sure she was stable first and at this point there is no rush. That’s all for now but I thought you would like to know she’s doing well.
Mike
Well, that’s excellent news! I don’t think we could hope for any better at this point.
-Jess
April 16th, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Wow! I just read all the posts after going into the site and wondering what was happening at the new nest site. I had no idea what a battle (literally!) she’s been fighting!
I’m so grateful that Mariah is doing well. A big thank you to all of her care-givers and I wish her a speedy recovery.
Thank you for keeping us aware of her condition.
Donna
Rochester, NY
April 16th, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Thanks so much for the update. It is excellent news. When you talk to Mike again could you ask about the dark runny stools he reported earlier. They were concerned about it being internal bleeding. I’m hoping it was stress related and has now cleared up.
Thanks again
April 16th, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Go Mariah, Go! Thank You to all those caring for and reporting on the special lady. Will keep prayers heavenward for her continued progress.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Great news! That’s our girl! Thanks, everyone.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Wonderful!! Thanks to Mike for letting us know. This is good news and it gives her more of a chance to heal before surgery.
For a wild bird, not used to humans, (without cameras- smile), I think it shows her adaptability by being a model patient. She continues to teach us so much.
We’re with you sweet girl and may all of our loving thoughts surround you like the wings you embraced and protected your little ones with.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:31 PM
So glad to hear that she’s doing better. Thanks so much Carol and Brian for being there which I know you always are. Carol, despite everything, it had to have been incredible for you to be that close to her after all the time you’ve spent watching her in the skies and trying not to get hit by her while “kidnapping” her babies. It had to have been extremely emotional for you.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:35 PM
She’s a brave and valiant girl..Our prayers are with her, and our hopes that she’ll be able to be wild and free again. Jeanne says it so well.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:37 PM
GREAT NEWS!!! THANKS FOR THE UPDATE!
(Yes, I’m shouting, from the rooftops, with joy and appreciation).
April 16th, 2009 at 7:52 PM
We really appreciate even these little updates, so thanks for taking the time to post them!
April 16th, 2009 at 8:21 PM
Update appreciated, thanks to all concerned. Stay strong beautiful Mariah, you are missed so much, by so many.
April 16th, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Excellent !! What happens to any eggs she may be carrying ?
April 16th, 2009 at 8:38 PM
You go girl!! Thank you for the update and thank you to Mike! The ‘model’ patient part made me chuckle…she’s probably thinking – you wait til I get better mister..hehe!
April 16th, 2009 at 8:44 PM
@Barbara in WA – We haven’t heard definitively, but it doesn’t appear that Mariah was carrying any eggs at the time of her injury.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Thanks Mike and Jess! I’m chuckling, too, at the idea of Mariah as a “model patient.” However, I agree with Jeanne that it is a sign of her amazing adaptability — something that she will need during her treatment, recovery, and life afterward.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Thank you so much for the update, and for the excellent care Mariah is getting! Mariah is a fighter. We are all very concerned about her. Please update us again when there is something to tell. Again, thank you.
Donna in MS
April 16th, 2009 at 9:46 PM
When something magical happens between man and animal, the American Natives say, ”We have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow.”
I can imagine that is how all three participants feel ….. Mariah, Brian and Carol. Mariah will be back!
April 16th, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Happy that Mariah is doing well, but very sad that we will miss watching Mariah and Kavar raise their family as they have done for so many years. It is like losing a part of the Rochester family.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Exceptional news! Well said Jeanne @ 7:31. Please don’t band her! Make her WHOLE again – but don’t let her become a test model for the DEC!
Let her fly free again!
April 16th, 2009 at 11:15 PM
WONDERFUL! Thanks so much for the updates! I check periodically throughout the day…anxious for any word on how she’s doing. So glad to hear she’s making some progress. Wonderful!
April 17th, 2009 at 12:15 AM
Thank you for all the updates! It is so much appreciated to find out how Mariah is doing. Hope she heals well and will be back in the skies! In my opinion-it wouldnt be bad if they did band Mariah…this way if anything did happen to her…we would know it was Rochesters icon. Any takers on that idea? I wish Mariah well and a fast recovery ! Again thank you to everyone involved.
April 17th, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Thank you Jess – and Mike! Excellent news indeed!
April 17th, 2009 at 1:01 AM
Glad to know there’s been some improvement. Thanks to Mike Allen for taking time from an obviously busy day to report on her status.
Will Mariah left with a rehabber over the weekend? Anyone know how that goes?
April 17th, 2009 at 1:21 AM
Since Mariah does not seem to have a mate, I am wondering what would be a good outcome at this point?
April 17th, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Birdlover, banding “Mariah” before release (if released) would not bother her at all and could give us information we, as her admirers, want to know (except you, apparently). There would be no other way to have a chance of learning her ultimate fate after a release; she is only one of many unbanded falcons in eastern North America when not under constant observation in Rochester skies. It could also give the vets operating on her now, information on the efficacy of their treatments. It is one thing to do these kinds of repairs and have the bird sit around all day, something more might be required to enable a bird to prevail in the wild…
April 17th, 2009 at 1:18 PM
I could not disagree with you more Alison. I believe she should REMAIN UNBANDED.
She’s given enough of herself over the years. We’re giving back now. Let her go back the way she came.
April 17th, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Regarding the possibility of banding Mariah, we understand that people of goodwill may disagree about it, but it is really not something under our control, so arguing about it doesn’t make much sense. We’ll check with the DEC regarding their plans and report what we learn here.
April 17th, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Had Kaver been banded, we would perhaps have known his fate now. Had Rhea Mae not been banded, we would never have known that she is the daughter of your beloved Mariah and Kaver. Her nesting here has brought joy to so many people, enough so that some of them travelled to Canada to witness the banding of Mariah’s grand ‘eyases’. And those of us up here are thrilled to have the Queen’s daughter in residence, we were giddy when we heard she ‘put up her wings to sheild her babies and stared the banders straight in the eye’ last year…! ‘Oh she’s a chip off the old block” we all laughed!!
I get your point birdlover, they are birds of prey and they should fly freely however by that logic..Mariah should then have been left to her fate on Sunday and not been rescued. I for one am glad that she was saved!
April 17th, 2009 at 2:02 PM
@Kathy – Great post!
April 17th, 2009 at 2:53 PM
OUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING !
Thank you for the update! Thanks to all of those trained hands and kinds hearts that are and have treated Mariah! She’s proven herself the strong one we all know and love.
LET’S ALL CONCENTRATE ON HER HEALING – THAT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANT NOW!
April 17th, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Thanks a keep the updates coming please. As for banding Mariah, she won’t care either way. I do think though, that if they do band her it should be a solid gold band. After all she is The Queen.
Do we know yet how badly her wing is damaged. Although we all want to see her return to the skies, she must also be strong enough to defend herself. If she is not going to be able to fly well enough to hunt and defend herself then she would be better off at the Zoo.
April 17th, 2009 at 3:31 PM
So grateful for every little update on how she
is doing……thanks to everyone!
April 17th, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Oh yes..that is excellent news. I thank you so very much for it and looking forward to more.
April 17th, 2009 at 3:37 PM
I agree with you Allison, whole heartedly.
April 17th, 2009 at 3:42 PM
She will be flying free, Birdlover..only we will be ablr to keep an eye on her.
April 17th, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Bill, IMHO, the best outcome for Mariah would be to release her after the resident pair migrate in the fall. When the female returns in the Spring she would have to face her again and the stronger of the two would prevail. Since she is likely much older I’ll let you do the math on her odds. If she’s determined not to be releasable, she could go to a place like Wild Wings and live out her life as an ambassador for her species.
Birdlover, I don’t think Mariah cares one way or the other if she’s banded. 😉
April 17th, 2009 at 5:25 PM
I haven’t been in for a while, and have so just caught up. I’m kind of glad that I started with reading that Mariah is improving and prognosis is hopeful. thank you so much to everyone caring for Mariah, and to all the watchers keeping an eye on her.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Thanks for the update on her condition. It’s nice to get these brief updates about her now that she is no longer in Rochester. Once again thanks to Jess, Carol, Brian and Mike for all their efforts and care for Mariah.
April 17th, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Thanks to all that have shown so much love to MARIAH. She is the one that has given us so much pleasure and so much of herself. Yes my dear MARIAH YOU DESERVE ALL OF THIS LOVE.
April 17th, 2009 at 10:37 PM
I am glad to hear Mariah is doing so well. I have been so worried about the most beautiful animal I have ever seen. I have been watching her now for a few years and I was sad to hear that she had been injured. the poor thing first lost her nest, then Kaver and now her territory, that really stinks. Is Zephyr still hanging around Brighton with his lady? Or is the lady that fought Mariah one in the same?
You go Mariah, show everyone how strong and beautiful you are.
April 17th, 2009 at 10:43 PM
It sure would be nice if she were banded, but either way we all love and admirer her. She is the QUEEN
April 17th, 2009 at 11:18 PM
Birdlover, I agree that we have received a great deal from observing Mariah and her two mates and her numerous offspring over the years.
But she has “given” nothing. She is oblivious to our existance, we are no part of her world, even as we change her environment. She does not recognise us and has no special relationship to us. Even the invasion of the scrape at banding time is quickly forgotten (otherwise she would not have returned season after season) and is no more or less traumatic than, for example, a great horned owl attack (except in the latter case the danger of loosing an eyas is much greater). The attachment is all on our side. So a banding, which she would only really take note of for a short while, would not make her less free. She would be as free as her two mates, one banded, one not. She would be as free as her offspring and as free as any other wild flying falcon in the world (predicated on the assumption that she is releasable after rehab).
Banding would make it easier for us to continue our love affair and, as I mentioned before, give the vets and rehabbers more insights into what works for a falcon in the wild after dramatic injury. It would make nothing “harder” for the falcon.
April 18th, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Thanks to everyone for their comments. Thanks to all our falcon watchers throughtout North America. Thanks to Mike for his consideration in updating us. And thanks to Mariah, Kaver and all their offspring. It is a privilege to have this window into the peregrines world and I, as many others do, appreciate it.
April 20th, 2009 at 5:48 PM
just a thought…do you think Mariah has a chance of surviving if you bring her back here? She would make an excellent educator….she seems at ease with people….let a licenced falconer take her….perhaps she could be used at landfills to deter gulls…..just a thought…..what a story she and Kaver told…..I have been tuning in for 3 years now……
April 20th, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Wonderful news about Mariah. All of us at SJPFA as well as our resident falcons; Esteban and Clara, send Mariah best wishes for a speedy and full recovery.
San Jose Peregrine Falcon Alliance, supporting the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group.