Sunday, October 15, 2006

DOA


I was kicking back on the couch this morning, trying to think of something for the girls and me to do today. (This is the last weekend for Geoff to finish final revisions on his book)

I had a lot of things in mind, but couldn't decide. Then the phone rang, and that something came to me. Dan, one of our dispatchers, called and said that there was a Cooper's hawk downtown that needed to be picked up. And off we went.

Unfortunately, it was dead by the time we arrived.

It had found its way into a parking garage and couldn't find its way out. The man who called it in said that he almost had it once, but it got away and hit a window full force and went down.

So sad...but that's the way it goes sometime.

I thought that this would be an excellent learning opportunity for Isabelle, and I pointed out different parts of the Coop. She exclaimed more than once, "It's so soft!".

She was a little wary of the talons, but I encouraged her to touch them, to feel just how sharp they are and have to be, to catch and eat prey.

Temporary resting place for the Coop...RAPTOR's freezer.

And just because my mother-in-law is rather picky about such things (she's an RN) I had to get a picture of Isabelle washing her hands with some strong disinfectant.

This is Elvis, our program Barred Owl. He doesn't make many appearances on the blog, or programs for that matter. He is a bit feisty, but I have the nerve now to start taking him out more. He looks very innocent, doesn't he? Ha.

Left: Scarlet

Right: Two Socks

Our program red-tailed hawks. RT's are such beautiful powerful birds, and I tend to shy away from them when I am choosing birds for programs, but as with the barred owl, I have the nerve now. (Though I will probably choose Scarlet over Two Socks, since she does a lot better on the glove. Two Socks is the one who gashed me.)

Behind RAPTOR's facility in Mt. Healthy is the Mill Creek. In 1997, the national conservation group American Rivers designated Mill Creek as "The most endangered urban river in North America". Wow. It has multiple pollution sources and stresses, but as you can read in the Mill Creek link, something is getting done about it. I had heard about "that Mill Creek", but I never realized how bad it really was. I learned a few things about it today at the website, and I will think twice before taking the girls back down there. But even with all that, it's still beautiful right behind RAPTOR. A small amount of trash, but other than that, it was clear and clean-looking.

6 comments:

LauraHinNJ said...

Gosh, what a beautiful bird, how sad.

Why is the grown-up wearing the gloves in those pics? (sitting in for the MIL)

;-)

Susan Gets Native said...

How did I know that you would notice that?????
There was some blood on the coop, and I didn't want to get it on me. I kept Isabelle away from the bloody parts.
Thanks, Rita-stand in!

Dave Dorsey said...

With the permission of USF&G and permits of course, we use artifact as part of our education program.

You organization have some good looking birds there.

NatureWoman said...

Poor bird - but what a great opportunity for Isabelle to feel it.
I always love the photos of your birds!

The Swami said...

Susan,
The Swami noticed the gloved and ungloved handlers. Fortunately, we saw the photo of Isabelle being disinfected just in time for Swamette to call them back and cancel the visit to your house by The Center for Disease Control's emergency unit.

The Swami was pleased to note that the table the late Mr. Cooper was lying on was NOT your dining room table.

Hmmm. Just wondering, are the birds in Raptor's freezer being saved for Raptor's next fund-raising dinner? I believe I may be busy with yak obedience classes that evening.

Anonymous said...

Swami- you kook!!

Susan- I love the pictures of little hands on the coop. They hold our future.

More red-tailed hawks!! They are my absolute favorite raptors. Just gorgeous.