2016 rescues

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

16 June 2016 - young Red-breasted Sapsucker.  Jen Larsen in Dyea noticed a young RBSA sitting in the road near the NPS campground at 6am.  She moved it off the road and placed it under a tree.  She noticed a drop of blood on its head, and one eye was swollen.  That evening at 7pm she saw the bird again, it had moved about 5 yards and was still not right.  She delivered the bird to Elaine, who settled it in a kennel with some water and contacted Juneau Raptor Center.  JRC agreed to take the bird, and it was flown to Juneau the next morning by Alaska Seaplanes.   

UPDATE:  The Sapsucker had to be euthanized the same day due to wing injury and partially crushed beak.

12 July 2016 - Common Raven.  Deb B. and Joanne B. responded to a report of an injured raven near the gold dredge.  They were unable to locate the bird when they went to investigate.  When they came back the next day, they saw the CORA.  It was flapping its wings but could not stay in the air very long.  There was no sign of broken bones in the wings or legs. They decided to monitor it for a few days to see if it recovers from what seemed to be a minor injury.    

UPDATE 17 July - Gold Dredge employees called to say the raven seemed to be doing worse.  Deb B., Elaine F. and John H. were shown the CORA by employees, who had been giving it some water and food occasionally.  It had what looked like a broken leg, still couldn't fly more than a few feet at a time, was alert and responsive, but seemed weak.  Juneau Raptor Center agreed to take the bird, it struggled weakly when captured.  It was prepared for travel and sent to Juneau that afternoon on an AK Seaplanes flight.

UPDATE 19 July - Juneau Raptor Center reported that the bird was nutritionally in good condition, but its injuries meant it could not be rehabilitated, so it was euthanized.

28 July 2016 - Marbeled Murrelet.  Early evening Elaine was called by AK Seaplanes, who had a bird that was given to them by Cruise Line Agencies, who said the bird was found in the spa of a cruise ship.  When Elaine arrived, the two AK Seaplanes employees had correctly identified the bird as a MAMU.  No broken bones or signs of trauma were found in a quick exam, and the bird was well nourished, so Elaine took the MAMU for observation.  About 20 minutes later, she brought the bird to the Beierlys for a 2nd evaluation.  All agreed that it seemed in good shape, so Joanne and Elaine took it to the small boat harbor and released it.  It immediately flew a circle over the harbor, landed in a corner, swam around and dove a few times.  It was energetic and didn't have any behavior problems.  We surmised that it had been disoriented, perhaps temporarily stunned, but otherwise uninjured.

3 Aug 2016 - Steller's Jay.  Ashlei Leggett reported a Steller's Jay with an injured wing at 4th and Main around 11am.  Elaine found the bird, which was dragging a wing and could not fly, but was very mobile on the ground, drinking from puddles and foraging in yards for food.  She called Betsy A. and Stacie E. to assist, and the three were able to capture the STJA.  JRC agreed to take the bird, but all planes were grounded due to low ceiling.  Later that afternoon, conditions improved and Alaska Seaplanes transported the bird to JRC in Juneau.

UPDATE 13 Aug - JRC sent word that the STJA had to be euthanized.

20 Aug 2016 - Dark-eyed Junco.  Charlotte Jewel rescued an immature DEJU from her cat.  It seemed stunned and was holding a leg awkwardly, but didn't seem to have puncture wounds.  Elaine took the bird and monitored it for a short time to see if it was merely stunned.  However, after about 15 minutes the bird died, and examination showed that it did have a severely broken leg.

8 Sep 2016 - young Bald Eagle.  Police dispatch relayed a call about a young eagle falling to the ground and calling in distress on the hillside behind the Fish Co. restaurant.  Elaine responded and found 2 adults and one immature eagle feeding on what looked like part of a fish carcass, partially hidden in the shrubs.  The adults occasionally flew and perched on upper tree branches.  Employees had watched each of the BAEA and confirmed that the immature bird was able to fly.  The birds were being very vocal, but seemed only to be squabbling over their food.

10 Sep 2016 - Sooty Shearwater.  Cruise Line Agencies contacted Elaine about a gull-sized bird they had received from the Volendam.  The ship's crew had found the bird in netting at their basketball court on deck, after they had tied up to the dock in Skagway.  The ship had sailed from Juneau overnight.  Elaine and Mike Konsler identified the bird, and examined it for signs of injury.  A couple of small smudges of blood were in the cardboard box, but no broken bones were felt in wings or legs, and there were no signs of malnourishment.  The SOSH was becoming more active and alert as minutes passed.  The bird was taken to the small boat harbor and released at the water's edge.  The SOSH paddled out a few feet, flexed its wings, then took flight.  Within a half minute, it left the harbor and was last seen flying strongly down the fjord.