We have a diverse set of photos today, including a dramatic rescue of a raptor by one of our regulars. First, Dave Molloy from Oz sent some photographs of the evening sky and of wombats:
I knew there was a planetary conjunction to be seen in the dawn sky for the last few weeks. However, surprisingly for the eastern seaboard of New South Wales, the weather had been uncooperative. For some reason on Saturday, I got up earlier than usual, checked out the sky from my balcony and there was the half-moon sitting bang amongst Jupiter, Mars and Venus. Couldn’t have timed it better. Must have bored my Facebook friends rigid by now with these shots. [JAC: Enlarge by clicking if you can’t see Mars].
In addition, some contrasting photos of two common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) from a camping trip west of Sydney a month ago. The first was a very solid specimen in good health, while the second sadly had rampant mange and must have been very ill as it was out and about mid-afternoon, not a good sign for a primarily nocturnal animal.
Steven Barnard rescued a raptor! Here’s his first email from Sunday:
While out photographing today I saw this Red-tailed Hawk [Buteo jamaicensis] in trouble. It couldn’t fly and was being harassed by magpies. If ravens showed up it would be game over, so I captured it. It appears to have a relatively minor injury to the right wing, perhaps a sprain. Otherwise, it’s in good condition and very feisty. It’s tucked away covered up in the garage. Tomorrow I’ll take it to a rehabber in Boise.
I asked Stephen if he gave it food or water, and he said that the rehab person said that wasn’t necessary, but he slipped the bird a few slices of elk.
And the report from yesterday (Monday)—all is well:
I dropped the hawk off with a rehabber in Boise. The prognosis is good — no broken bones. By the way, notice hole in the back of the tongue. That allows the bird to breathe when it’s swallowing large prey, which might take some time.
Stephen drove 135 miles in a snowstorm—and 135 miles back—to take this bird to the rehabber. Kudos to Stephen, and to the man who’s trying to save the hawk (it now appears to have an injury to the elbow joint).
Also on Sunday, some interlopers appeared on Stephen’s ranch:
I had a couple of visitors this morning. Deets [the border collie] sent them on their way.
Stephen, you are a good person. What a magnificent creature.
Nice pics of the recent alignment. I have enjoyed it several mornings myself and often thought of trying to take some pictures of it, but I don’t have a lens that would do it justice. Or camera really. I need a large format camera for shots like that!
That Stephen Barnard is a good man and a fine photographer.
When I saw the hawk in trouble my first inpulse was to let nature take its course. One sees these small tragedies on a ranch. But then I thought of all the photos I’ve taken of Red-tailed Hawks and I felt I owed it something.
I completely understand the impulse to let nature take its course, but I’m glad to hear that the Hawk has only a minor injury and that the prognosis is good. And, I can see you have a first rate moose security detail at your command as well.
Indeed…seems a most fair fee for modeling services. I can understand the urge to noninterference…but it’s also pretty easy to align one’s sympathies with an animal as beautiful as an hawk.
b&
Great to see you going out of your way to look after the wildlife which you obviously take such pleasure from.
On another note, have other people stopped getting emails about new posts? Or did I PEBCAK something?
‘Tis you. I’m replying to an email.
b&
Yeah, I just got a new edition of the “you are subscribed” email, and the “Ireland” mail. Must have fat-fingered something on the phone a few days ago.
Whenever I see an image of a wombat now I think “Remember Tunnel 17!”
As someone who works with hawks at a wildlife hospital…a hawk should never be held as shown in the photo. The handler should be wearing leather gloves to protect the handler, separating the hawk’s legs between his/her fingers to protect the hawk’s legs from injury, and the handler should not be grasping the hawk’s tail feathers. The tail feathers can easily be broken this way. A tail with lots of broken feathers can leave the hawk unable to hunt.
Take it up with the licensed raptor rehabilitator. He’s holding the bird.
IF I say “drop the bird2, do you think it’ll drive the snake away in an astonishing flurry of feathers and squawks?
(It’s a game reference. Plugh!)
Regardless, I would hate for someone to see this photo and then try to handle a hawk this way. It’s so easy to get hurt.
Wonderful stuff. I too have been keeping an eye on Jupiter and Mars and Venus for a while up there, and I also enjoyed the stretch where they were near the crescent moon. It is cool that we can see the same sky, though in different hemispheres.
As you’re in the Northern Hemisphere with the days being much shorter, you dont have to get up as early as we do to see it 🙂
Thank you for the planets explanation — I’ve been wondering about that configuration!
Nice variety today! I bet astrologers are having a field day with the configuration…it must affect people’s romantic lives somehow. 😉
Good on you Stephen for saving the hawk. I bet it appreciated the elk…spoiled hawk! heehee And talk about close-ups! Next time Deets is in that crate he’ll probably go crazy smelling hawk. I hope he stays safe around those moose…they can be dangerous.
Splendid post from beginning to end.
Somehow missed this one earlier. Jeez, Stephen, you locked the hawk up in the same room with a Cobra! Glad it made it to rehab!
And you’re an especially good guy to make a 270mi roundtrip doing that.