2015 rescues

28 January 2015 - Bohemian Waxwing.    Rick Bannerman responded to a call from Police dispatch about an injured bird. Employees at the Klothes Rush had found a bird leaning against the wall of the Kone Company. They had put the bird in a box and brought it inside. Rick determined that the bird was a BOWA, and agreed with their assessment that it had an injured leg, possibly broken.  Rick put the BOWA in his greenhouse and gave it a small ramekin of warm water. Checking on it a couple of hours later with Sam Richert, the bird was more active so it was moved to a gardening shed, which had an open door.  The box was placed on it's side to the bird was protected but could escape if it wished. The earlier water had frozen so we gave it a new dish of warm water. The next morning it was gone with no evidence of predator action, so the assumption was that it flew elsewhere. We've had a number of active, one-legged birds in town this year.

 June 2015 - Pine Siskin.  Shelby Surdyk received a report of an injured chickadee near the Itjen building.  She called Elaine Furbish, and they found a Pine Siskin sitting in the lawn near the building, not moving but conscious, no obvious signs of injury - perhaps only stunned from flying into a window.  The bird was collected and put in a padded cardboard box.  Elaine placed it in a dark, quiet place.  After an hour, the PISI was still conscious but still not moving much.  After another hour, it was perky and alert, and energetically flew away. 

 1 July 2015 - Northwestern Crow.  Carol Bourcy called Elaine Furbish about a crow with a possibly broken wing, found in her backyard.  She had placed it in a pet kennel to protect it from her dogs.  Elaine collected the bird, verified that it had an injured wing, and put it in a smaller travel kennel for transport to Juneau Raptor Center.  Wings of Alaska air service flew the injured bird to Juneau.6 July 2015 - Steller's Jay.  Mid-afternoon the Skagway PD phoned Elaine about an injured STJA that had been picked up by a person and carried in their hands to the police station.  Elaine found a wet, conscious but seemingly confused bird that struggled weakly when she examined it.  No signs of broken bones or obvious injury.  The STJA was placed in a padded kennel and kept in a cool, dark, quiet place.  After an hour, the bird was alert and active - when the kennel was opened it flew into the nearby trees.

8 July 2015 - Northwestern Crow.  In the morning, Klondike Park workers found a young NWCR on the ground behind the Eagle's.  Elaine Furbish responded and found an immature crow that seemed to have an injured wing, most of it's tail feathers were missing their ends, and the bird was weak.  Two adults were cawing nearby and swooped as the crow was put in a padded kennel.  Elaine passed the NWCR on to Joanne Beierly who contacted Juneau Raptor Center.  They agreed to evaluate the crow and possibly place it with several other young crows that were currently being rehabilitated.   Joanne sent the crow to Juneau courtesy of Wings of Alaska. 

10 July 2015 - Northwestern Crow.  Andrew and Joanne Beierly responded to a report of an injured crow at 6th and Broadway.  A towns-person at that location told us that two crows with broken wings lived in the area and were being fed by workers and tourists.  Joanne found one crow behind the Eagles building and the second crow south of the bank.  Both birds were very active and would not let her approach too closely. Rick Bannerman joined Andrew and Joanne and agreed that checking the crows regularly would suffice.

20 July 2015 - Northwestern Crow.  Shelby Surdyk and friend found a young crow sitting in the middle of the road at 11th and Main.  Elaine Furbish responded.  The NWCR was relatively alert, but lethargic, seemed to have an injured leg, and had blue rings around its eyes.  They moved it off the road to observe it more, Elaine left to get a travel kennel.  About 10 minutes later when Elaine returned, the crow seemed more energetic, still walked awkwardly but seemed more a balance problem rather than an injured leg.  It walked back out to a puddle in the middle of the road and drank a bit.  Elaine put it in the kennel and placed it in a cool, dark, quiet place.  After an hour, it seemed alert and feisty.  Elaine took it to the north side of town and let it go.   

UPDATE:  The blue rings around the crow's eyes were an indication of it's young age, not related to sickness or injury.

3 Aug 2015 - Northwestern Crow.   Elaine, Shelby, Joanne and Andrew B. responded midday to a report of a crow with a dart in its eye.  We found the bird flying around the area of the Moore House, with what Andrew identified as a blow-dart in its eye.  Even though the injury to its eye was severe, it didn't seem to have brain damage.  It was energetic and could fly well, so we could not capture it.  It may be able to dislodge the dart and get along with one eye.  But it may get worse, and if you see it in the next few days, weakened and not flying well, please call one of us.  Also, if you know of anyone who has been using a blowgun with red-based darts, especially in the Moore House area, please let us and the Skagway PD know.  

UPDATE:  the bird was not seen again.

23 Aug 2015 - American Robin.  A Broadway jewelry store employee saw a squirrel attack a small bird. She and others collected the bird and put it in a cardboard box. Joanne and Andrew B. collected the boxed bird and transported it to their yard. The bird was very active, so they set the box in their yard and opened it. The bird quickly flew into nearby vegetation. They identified it as a young robin. It seemed unharmed, and soon flew out of the yard.

2 Sep 2015 - young Steller's Jay.  Angie Burton called Deb B. about a young Steller's Jay that seemed to be hurt.  Deb responded to the midtown location and found the bird mostly inactive, and carrying a peanut in its mouth, but not eating it.  It couldn't fly, but hopped away when approached.  Deb was able to capture it in a net and took it to Joanne B.  Joanne noted that the STJA was panting, but no sign of wounds.  It was offered water and kept overnight in a cool building.  The next morning it was dead.  The body was taken by Klondike Park, and will be sent to the UAF Museum later this year.

7 Sep 2015 - unfledged Marbled Murrelet.  Courtnay Thoe found a young MAMU on the ground near 7 pastures, it was flapping but couldn't fly, and kept flapping over onto the road.  She brought it to Joanne and Andrew B.  The MAMU had some flight feathers, but the head and back still had lots of fluffy down.  It was very active, and did not seem injured.  Juneau Raptor Center agreed to take the bird and care for it until it was able to fly.  But all planes to Juneau from Skagway were cancelled at that time because of low clouds and fog.

Pat Bock with JRC connected the Beierlys with JRC member Scott Tiernan, who was on the ferry due to arrive in Skagway.  Scott examined the bird and said it was a healthy, young MAMU, but had road oil contamination on its feathers and was probably very hungry.  He gave the Beierly's handling and feeding instructions to care for the bird until it could be flown to Juneau.  Over the course of the day, most of the downy feathers fell out, and the MAMU looked quite different by the time it was flown to Juneau early that evening.   After collecting the bird, JRC rehabilitator Irene Morris said it looked heathy and should be no problems getting back out to the environment after it was cleaned and well fed. 

UPDATE:  JRC reported that at first the MAMU was doing great, eating and preening itself - but for some reason it wasn't water-proofing.  Before they could figure out what was wrong, the bird died.

24 Sep 2015 - Wilson's Snipe.  A dead WISN (formerly Common Snipe) was found in a yard near the Beierly's house.  It had a blood wound on it's head, but was otherwise in good shape.  It was collected for the UAF museum and will be sent when Klondike Park arranges their transfer over the winter.

Dec2015 - Jan2016 - Common Murre mass mortality. click here for detailed information:  COMU event - Dec2015 to Jan2016