Into the Wild

Please Release Me
I saw a bald eagle release today and it was spectacular and totally unexpected. I'm not sure why it had come in the center intially but it was healthy enough to be on its own so the interns drew lots to see who would release it. They do this every spring and summer and everyone has a turn if enough eagles are brought into the center.

The lucky intern handed me her camera and the rest of the interns, Mark, Sharon, and I followed her out to the eagle's flight area at the NWC. There was a definite air of excitement although noone was laughing or giggling. I snapped photos as Mark went into the enclosure with a canvas sack and three interns while the rest stood outside peering through the gate until Mark caught the eagle in the sack and came out. We all then tramped through the woods silently to the back gate of the center (gates that look like a big wooden old west fort's) to the release area.

We were all still in hush mode as Mark handed the intern the sack and she held the eagle's talons with her leather-gloved hands as Mark peeled the canvas back to free the raptor. The intern then lifted the eagle up in the air, let go and he flapped his huge wings and took off, never looking back. Everyone then started talking and it was palatable how everyone's emotions were released, then, just like the eagle. It is inexplicable how lucky I felt being able to see that up close, especially since last week another eagle had to be euthanized.

I didn't stay long enough today to see the door mouse release....

Love Those Meeces to Pieces
Mice this time, not moose, actually mouse, but in pieces.
Okay so I gagged today for the first time. I had to feed a baby Barred Owl (unbelIEVably cute) and his diet consists of chopped up mouse (not just in half!) mixed with ground meat. Very stinky. I thought I could do it with no problem like I cut the rat in half a couple of weeks ago, but I guess chopping up in pieces was what did it. After the third time I turned around to the sink with my hand (and mouse gutted-up knife -ew) to my mouth holding back a giant gag, Sadie the intern, laughing of course with the other interns!) iold me I didn't have to do it, but I made myself finish. And when we went over to the baby Barred Owl's cage and she showed me how to feed him- to tweeze just the right amount of the mixture, open the baby's beak, then poke it down into its gullet a couple of times, she let me do it. I almost lost it again when one of the chunks I picked up was a little pink leg, but the owl ate for me and it was a success.

I also got to feed baby birds and the baby otter oh and some little bitty fawns when I first got there. What a wonderful job that I look forward to each week.