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We had to head back to the Benton City Veterinarian Clinic again today so I have another Jack Hawkness update for you guys. Why did we have to go back? I’m so glad you asked. We had to go back because another baby bird was pushed out of the nest. This one was much younger than Jack and took the fall harder. Poor little thing couldn’t even stand up. In an attempt to not get attached I didn’t name him (so he's not going to be my Ianto bird). Anthony found him in the yard this morning, and when he was still laying in the same spot this afternoon nearly passed out we knew he was really going to need help.
Not only were we recognized straight away at the vet’s, she was actually talking to the raptor house people about Jack as we walked in (more on that later). She took one look at the new bird and told the woman on the phone she was going to need some more equipment (an IV pump of some sort?). She was very concerned about how week this one is. The look on her face made me worry a bit more than I already did actually. Picking him up didn’t require any gloves and it just let her hold on while examining it. She says the bird will need an actual IV because it is far more dehydrated than Jack was. Showing me the veins in his legs she said “You can imagine what that’s like with such tiny veins.” I don’t envy her that job, but I am very grateful she does it. The woman at the counter (I really need to work on remembering names LOL) asked if we were trying to fill them with birds or something. We told her that we hoped this would be the last time.
Then we asked how Jack was doing and found out he is still fine but he’s not progressing as quickly as they had hoped. Once she gets what she needs the vet said they will probably hook him up to an IV also because he’s not taking in enough fluids. He is on solid food now, but they still have to force feed him. He did try to hunt when we had him out here, but when he went in he stopped eating on him own completely. It seems he was sicker than they first realized. This makes me worried for the new baby since he already appears quite sick. We also learned that the reason Jack couldn’t fly was because he is so young all his feathers aren’t in yet. We didn’t get to go back and see him (unfortunately), but she did show us on the new baby where he still needed to develop.
So basically Jack is coming along, but isn’t to the point where they have a transfer date. They’ll let us know when that time comes.
Now for the burning question on everyone’s mind –
Is Jack a boy or a girl?
The answer – No one can tell! Not without an internal exam anyway, and she says there’s no need to do that right now. Once mature they can tell by size and coloring, but until then it’s anyone’s guess. I told her that I had named him Jack, so he just had to be a boy. I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m crazy and hasn’t accepted his true identity as ‘Captain Jack Hawkness’ but she did laugh a little. Maybe I should have snatched his chart and wrote a name in?
Jack also had another sort of identity crisis. She found out he wasn’t a Red Tailed Hawk after all, but he’s a Swainson Hawk. They are very similar to Red Tails, but are slightly smaller with thinner wings, but a longer wingspan. If you’re interested I found a lot of info on this site when googling - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Hawk/id
The fact he was misidentified is actually good news. Apparently there is what amounts to a half way house for Swainson Hawks in our area. If they have room (which is being check on), once Jack is ready he would go there. The birds are free to fly wild, but still monitored and fed if necessary until fully independent. If they can’t take in anymore birds then they would wait until he is fully rehabilitated and release him back by our house.
Well, that is all I have for you now. Thanks for reading and keeping up with us. I appreciate it and I’m sure Captain Hawkness and poor baby-no-name do too.
Not only were we recognized straight away at the vet’s, she was actually talking to the raptor house people about Jack as we walked in (more on that later). She took one look at the new bird and told the woman on the phone she was going to need some more equipment (an IV pump of some sort?). She was very concerned about how week this one is. The look on her face made me worry a bit more than I already did actually. Picking him up didn’t require any gloves and it just let her hold on while examining it. She says the bird will need an actual IV because it is far more dehydrated than Jack was. Showing me the veins in his legs she said “You can imagine what that’s like with such tiny veins.” I don’t envy her that job, but I am very grateful she does it. The woman at the counter (I really need to work on remembering names LOL) asked if we were trying to fill them with birds or something. We told her that we hoped this would be the last time.
Then we asked how Jack was doing and found out he is still fine but he’s not progressing as quickly as they had hoped. Once she gets what she needs the vet said they will probably hook him up to an IV also because he’s not taking in enough fluids. He is on solid food now, but they still have to force feed him. He did try to hunt when we had him out here, but when he went in he stopped eating on him own completely. It seems he was sicker than they first realized. This makes me worried for the new baby since he already appears quite sick. We also learned that the reason Jack couldn’t fly was because he is so young all his feathers aren’t in yet. We didn’t get to go back and see him (unfortunately), but she did show us on the new baby where he still needed to develop.
So basically Jack is coming along, but isn’t to the point where they have a transfer date. They’ll let us know when that time comes.
Now for the burning question on everyone’s mind –
Is Jack a boy or a girl?
The answer – No one can tell! Not without an internal exam anyway, and she says there’s no need to do that right now. Once mature they can tell by size and coloring, but until then it’s anyone’s guess. I told her that I had named him Jack, so he just had to be a boy. I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m crazy and hasn’t accepted his true identity as ‘Captain Jack Hawkness’ but she did laugh a little. Maybe I should have snatched his chart and wrote a name in?
Jack also had another sort of identity crisis. She found out he wasn’t a Red Tailed Hawk after all, but he’s a Swainson Hawk. They are very similar to Red Tails, but are slightly smaller with thinner wings, but a longer wingspan. If you’re interested I found a lot of info on this site when googling - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Hawk/id
The fact he was misidentified is actually good news. Apparently there is what amounts to a half way house for Swainson Hawks in our area. If they have room (which is being check on), once Jack is ready he would go there. The birds are free to fly wild, but still monitored and fed if necessary until fully independent. If they can’t take in anymore birds then they would wait until he is fully rehabilitated and release him back by our house.
Well, that is all I have for you now. Thanks for reading and keeping up with us. I appreciate it and I’m sure Captain Hawkness and poor baby-no-name do too.
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Date: 2009-06-26 05:05 am (UTC)From:I will give his page a peek tomorrow for sure (should be getting off here soon or else I'll regret it tomorrow). I had no idea the shots were so much. This area gets sprayed A LOT for West Nile to try and keep the threat down.
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Date: 2009-06-26 05:11 am (UTC)From:I think Bob gives shots to all his birds. One of the birds he had had it last season so this season his feathers will grow in like a cork screw and he can't fly :(
Lady Val is a Harris Hawk he has had in rehab for several years. She flew our rings to us in our wedding service :D It was made of awesome!
no subject
Date: 2009-06-26 01:18 pm (UTC)From:If I had anything to be that freaked out it would be friends locked anyhow, but alas I am quite dull and have nothing to hide LOL only danger is that someone will see that I'm a little random and a lot wierd (or is that the other way around...)
I had no idea that West Nile could mess up a birds wings, that's terrible :(
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Date: 2009-06-26 03:04 pm (UTC)From: