Monarchs

I was looking at all the milkweed plants coming and what did I see but 2 caterpillars. Where have they been cos i have worked in that flower bed. Which reminds me tomorrow I am planting the seed I saved from last year.  I need a whole bed full to feed them. They eat a lot and poop even more.  So they are in the house in their cage and happily eating.  How long til they cocoon?

D33 Update It's a Girl

Great News from SOAR:

The first eaglets ready to move from ICU to the nursery are D33 and a hatch-year 2019 bald eagle from Allamakee County. These eaglets are reliably eating, drinking, and pooping. Any medication routines needed are complete. Patients will often "telegraph" that they are ready for a change of scenery.
Moving days like this are the time when eagles are weighed, a beak depth measurement taken, blood drawn for a blood lead level (if not already done), and a dose of ivomec to control external parasites. (We'll post separately about parasite control!)
D33 weighs in at 11.5 pounds and her beak depth measurement indicates she is a female. (Again... we'll post separately about beak depth measurement).

D32 Update

D32 is in a cast for 4 weeks and has to be fed so as not to put pressure on the bone that was broken.  D32 is healing nicely and don't forget they have a sibling there permanently D20.  For the latest updates SOAR's website:

https://soarraptors.org/patients/d32/

Like I Need Another Project

I LOVE Jeannette of Elephantz. Her embroidery is so beautiful.  I follow her blog and subscribe to the monthly patterns.  She came out with a memory Kitchen book and of course I had to sign up. So I am making one and I know it will take me forever but it will go to one of the most special persons in my life, so.....

I am putting everthing in a notebook with scrupulous notes these are the fabrics and buttons I chose.  I need to find special pictures, recipes, notes, etc to put in the pockets.  Come on the journey with me.

D33 Doing Well

From SOAR:

D33
11 June 2019
D33 is a model patient - eating two quail a day! Ambassador Decorah shared some of his trout and D33 ate two! Just like in the nest D33 can poop-shoot quite a distance, guessing 5 feet out the crate door.
D33 is ready to move out of ICU to a 10x20' flight area. It's time to stretch out those wings. Look for the move to happen later this week.

D32 Surgery

From SOAR:

D32 spent several days evading searchers before spotted hunkered down in the trout stream.
D32 is definitely impacted by black fly / buffalo gnat bites and is emaciated and dehydrated. As happens with birds in poor condition D32 has feather lice. Feather lice may crawl on you, but only in search of feathers.
The biggest concern for D32 is that the tibiotarsus in the right leg is broken just above the ankle. Kay consulted with SOAR veterinarians and all agreed that pinning the bones together was not an option.
The only option, and it is a long-shot, is to align and stabilize the bones while D32 is under anesthesia. Surgery is scheduled to align the bones and apply an external stabilizer - like a cast.
Then we all wait.
D32 is on antibiotics and is eating cut up food.

D32 Found, Tears of Joy

I am crying tears of joy this afternoon as D32 has been found and is in the care of a raptor vet.  Thank you Lord for finding and allowing the care of the eaglets.

From the Decorah Hatchery:

Update: Decorah Hatchery Nest eaglet D32
D32 was located yesterday evening in Trout Run Creek by a couple of local residents. The eagle was located tucked in along a bank downstream from the Decorah Hatchery nest. It was in rough shape, and the residents informed the DNR Hatchery personnel, who then retrieved it from the creek, and placed him/her in a “turkey box”.  The hatchery staff notified RRP, and we quickly set a plan in motion to get D32 the care it needed. Our Bald Eagle expert and board member Brett Mandernack, and our Vice President Laura Johnson, a veterinarian doctor specializing in raptor care, were consulted quickly, and a plan was enacted to get D32 to Laura, about an hour away, for immediate assessment and care.
Once transferred to Laura, D32 was found to be weak, a bit hypothermic, underweight, and showed signs of anemia with many black fly bites. Laura administered fluids and electrolytes upon arrival and repeated the treatments overnight. This morning, Laura was able to get D32 to eat some venison dipped in electrolytes and will continue to try to feed D32 every few hours.
Laura will continue to monitor and care for D32 while we await further updates

UPDATE:  June 9th D32 is now at SOAR with D33.  Siblings together again.  Keep praying for all the animals affected by the flooding and the gnats (black flies).  

April Retires

In case you have not heard April will not be having any more babies. She went on the pill and will be retiring and moving from Oliver.  She and her new son will move into Tajari's barn and Tajari's girlfriend will become Oliver's girlfriend and Tajari will have to wait for a new girlfriend.  Are you confused yet?  April had several children and even has grandchildren so she can live out her life without the strains of being pregnant.  There is a camera there as well, so you can still get your fill of April and the babies and Oliver.  Happy Retirement April.

D33 Update from SOAR

Also on 5 June, this eaglet began the journey to SOAR for evaluation and any treatment needed. During transfer to SOAR Executive Director, Kay Neumann, she provided an initial assessment. The eaglet has numerous bites near the eyes and nostrils (nares) and on the back of the head from buffalo gnats (AKA blackfly). These bites have left behind bloody scabs and left this eagle thin, anemic, and bit dehydrated. Kay could feel no fractures or swelling in the legs and wings. Bonus.
Kay also noted before she even picked up the juvenile that the tail and wing feathers were not long enough for this bird to fledge. Look at the photo included of the inside of the left wing. You can still see primary (flight) feathers encased in the sheath.
A view of the inside of D33's left wing. Flight feathers still have growing to do.

Never Forget

Never forget the history of our country.  For those of you who whine about your awful life many gave theirs so you could be ungrateful.  You don't learn this history anymore in school because the left wants to forget how we got here and why.  May we always celebrate the important days of why we are America.

https://www.army.mil/d-day/

Empty Nest Syndrome

I was not prepared to come onto the Decorah webcam and see an empty nest. It is too soon and knowing that our eaglets jumped to probably escape the gnats and black flies makes it even more sad.  D33 is at SOAR being taken care of and they have not found D32 yet.  I fear that is not good.  Last night mom was on the Y Branch from the first nest and it was beautiful with the sunset in progress. This morning I came upon the empty nest. I haz a sad. 

I Have Good News and No News

From RRP Just now:

The search team headed out early this morning led by RRP Board Director and eagle biologist Brett Mandernack and wildlife assistant Ryan Schmitz. Both quickly got to work and searched a boxed area from the bridge to about 0.5 miles upstream past the nest and were unable to locate D32 or even get a vocalization. They also watched Both Mom and DM2 carefully, looking for clues in flight paths hoping one of the parents would lead them to a spot where they might have been caring for D32. There was no luck on locating the eaglet, but RRP is putting plans in place to continue on with a search again tomorrow and will monitor the parents travels more closely.
D33 had been exploring the Skywalk branch since yesterday, not branching yet, but carefully and skillfully had walked up to perch and look about, and ventured a bit further with each exploration and both DM2 and Mom kept the eaglet company perched nearby or in the nest. This afternoon D33 climbed up to about the same spot as D32 had when she/he lost its footing and fell. Within about 15 minutes RRP was notified by Iowa DNR that D33 was located, retrieved, and was taken to the Decorah Fish Hatchery for a visual inspection. It was determined that she/he was a bit underweight, but no other obvious injuries were noted. It was decided to transport the eaglet to S.O.A.R. (Saving Our Avian Resources) where D33 would be under skilled veterinary and rehab care to be evaluated and stabilized. We will have no further information about D33's condition until such time that the veterinary exam is completed, and RRP will provide that information as soon as it is known.

D33 Fell

We have not found D32 and now D33 just fell out of the tree.  The gnats are so bad this year.  I hope they are ok.  Poor mom and DM2 have their hands full with  these 2.  Praying for both safety.