June 27, 2008 FREE the BIRD

Journal

27 June 2008 *** FREE the BIRD

If I leave here tomorrow Would you still remember me? For I must be traveling on, now, cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see. But, if I stayed here with you, girl, Things just couldn’t be the same. cause I’m as free as a bird now, And this bird you cannot change. Lord knows, I can’t change.

Thanks Lynard Skynard --Allen collins & Ronnie Vanzant

***** Business note- Germinators please remember to take 2 photos tomorrow and email them to me.**

First thing this morning I went to see the Snowy Owl. Denver Holt and Colleen Bitter were kind enough to let me visit. When Denver got the owl out of the cage she resisted and struggled with him a bit. What a great sign! Denver even noticed that she grasped his glove with her foot from the injured leg. This is another great sign.

This reminds me of a term we use to use at the Auburn University Vet School "BAR” – meaning Bright, Alert and Responsive.

I have plenty of Snowy Owl photos, but I could not resist adding this one. She is cute!

The foot didn’t look incredibly bad, but the gangrene is not a great thing to see. Gangrene is green and means that cells are dying. This can be due to the result of lack of blood flow and/or infection. The best-case scenario is that she regains some of the circulation or that this part of her foot rots off and she lives happily ever after.

Do you see the green on her foot? This is the gangrene due to infection and or lack of blood supply to the area. We are all hoping it will rot off and she will go about her business and live a good life.

Denver and Colleen had a tough decision to make today about the owl. The vet suggested either putting her down or sending her to the wild. The other option was to amputate (cut off) the leg, but this wouldn’t be good because they could not find a place for her to go for rehab.

So they decided to **let her go **today.

The Snowy was eager to eat and seemed strong. Denver and Colleen tagged her. It was tough because her legs are so feathery.

Since she is tagged if they see her in the wild – alive or dead, they will be able to monitor her progress.

Denver Holt and Colleen Bitter are giving this female Snowy Owl a band on her good leg before they released her. She is being very cooperative!

It was rainy here this morning. The first time I have seen real rain since I have been here.

There is a buzz in the air about the 4th of July parade. We get to make a float! Yeah. I love a parade. I am hoping Rob’s flight is on time, because he comes in on that day.

Spring is in the air… sort of .. at least some of the flowers think so!

Early blooms. Buttercup, Ranunculus and Coltsfoot, Petasites side by side in harmony and beauty!

Bird of the Day

I need 2 photos for this one...

These birds are quite popular on the tundra. They live in central and northern United States during the winter. I will look for them when I visit North Carolina.