2012 rescues

May 2012 - one-legged Northwestern Crows.  About 4 lame NWCR have been seen about town, each with only one leg, but all seem to be doing OK with the help of their flocks.  One NWCR was seen with a white, swollen, rotting leg - probably caused by some fishing line or something similar tangled around the leg.  The leg will probably self-amputate.

1 July 2012 - immature Bald Eagle.  Deb Boettcher, Elaine Furbish and the Beierlys responded to a report of an eagle in distress at the Gold Dredge.  An immature Bald Eagle was found sitting on the ground next to a parking lot, near some trees.  It was being pestered by seagulls, and was in a place where people often walked their dogs.  The BAEA was not moving much, but seemed alert.  Its legs and wings seemed uninjured.  However, its feathers looked wet and it could only move awkwardly by waddling or hopping on the ground.  When approached closely, it was alert and energetic, went into a defensive posture with talons extended, then walked across across Klondike Highway, where it settled in a sheltered spot under trees.  Juneau Raptor Center advised that it had probably eaten too much to fly and needed time to digest.  The group monitored the eagle into the evening to keep people or dogs from getting too close.  It eventually crossed back over the highway, crossed the parking lot, and crossed the Skagway River to a small, vegetated gravel bar.  It hunkered down in the bushes to avoid swooping gulls.  Andrew and Joanne returned the next day at noon - the eagle was still under trees on gravel bar.  It had left when they checked again at 4pm.

2 July 2012 - wet Bald Eagle.  A Skagway Float Tours guide reported an injured eagle sitting on rocky bank of Taiya River near the road.  Samantha Richert and Jessica Willbarger responded, and were soon joined by Andrew and Joanne Beierly.  The eagle was not at reported location, so the group searched along the roadside and the river bank.  Sam spotted the adult BAEA sitting in a tree on the other side of the road.  The eagle showed no sign of injury, but its feathers looked wet and it was holding one wing askew.  The BAEA was monitored for about half an hour, during which time many tourists noticed the group watching the eagle and stopped for photos.  The group concluded that the BAEA had been swimming but was otherwise OK, and decided to leave the area so the eagle could remain undisturbed.  Sam and Rick Bannerman checked on the eagle that evening.  Rick and Elaine Furbish checked the next morning, but only saw one adult BAEA out on the low-tide mudflats.

14 Sept 2012 - Harlequin Duck.  The Back Alley Rock Shop contacted Sam Richert about a duck found near their shop. Sam and Jaime Welfelt collected the adult female Harlequin Duck, which had been put in a cardboard box with food and water. They transferred the HADU to a preassembled carrier with shredded paper.  There were no visible signs of injury but the duck was slow to move and did not try to fly. The duck was left in the Beierly's fenced-in yard, the door to the carrier was removed so she could get out. When Jaime returned the next morning, the bird was in the grass beside the carrier. Juneau Raptor Center advised that the duck should be sent to them for rehabilitation since she seemed unable to fly. Jaime sent it to Juneau via Wings Air Service later that morning.  

UPDATE:  JRC reports that the duck is feeding and getting more active, a full recovery is expected.