I received a phone call yesterday. At one time, I volunteered one morning a week at a local bird/wildlife rescue center here in Alaska - I did this for something like 6 or 7 years. This center makes efforts in helping injured wild birds, their rehabilitation and eventual return to the wild. I worked with eagles a great deal, and became fairly experienced in handling them. This is run by a wonderful group of talented and dedicated people. I was thrilled they thought of me to come and give them a hand.
Recently, a dump truck full of fish guts, fish slime and fish oil pulled out of and parked from a processing plant on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Eagles hang around such places, sometimes in great numbers looking for an easy meal. Over 50 eagles swarmed that truck and chaos ensued. 20 birds got pushed down into the mess and drowned in the fish slime/oil. Others became trapped and had to be rescued. This bird rehab center had 30 very dirty eagles shipped to it. 30 eagles is a tremendous amount of work and added responsibility. I agreed to come in and help.
I wish I had been able to take more photos, but I was very busy doing what I came to do - handling eagles - moving them from the shipping kennels to exam table to the washroom and to pens. Keeping these large birds under control to prevent them from hurting themselves or hurting me was a difficult task. As you get tired, it's easy to get careless. My hands are aching tonight from the tight grip I had to maintain on their legs as I moved them around, during the exam and during their bath. But I did manage to take this photo of some of the other volunteers with a mature male bald eagle on the exam table. The gal on the left is placing a hood over the bird. Doing so really helps to calm the eagle down.
Many of these people have been putting in 12 hours straight with very few and limited breaks - getting a few hours of sleep only to start another 12 hour shift. Absolute volunteers - no compensation at all for their efforts. Their dedication is remarkable, and I applaud them at their efforts to minimize this tragedy. These dedicated individuals are the real heros.
My wife asked if I had heard about this a couple of days ago and tried to explain--- she did not do quite as good of job explaining how these birds got in trouble. thanks for the info and the pics. Good of you to help the birds out.
Well done Andy what fantastic dedication from you and fellow volunteers. A sad story to read but without the rescue center it would have been a lot worse I applaud you all. Is there a web link to the rescue center I know some people who would be interested.
Thank you for donating you time to such a noble cause. I'm very happy you guys managed to rescue so many . . . . Horrible to know this happened to them.
Scotia wrote:
Well done Andy what fantastic dedication from you and fellow volunteers. A sad story to read but without the rescue center it would have been a lot worse I applaud you all. Is there a web link to the rescue center I know some people who would be interested.
I'm certain the organization will appreciate any help they can get. They don't have oodles of money and the logistics of meeting these bird's needs is taxing on both the birds and the organization. For instance, the heat in the warehouse where this operation is located has been raised and the water (copious amounts) that is used to wash these birds has to be heated to around 105ºF in order to help the birds maintain body heat. With the oils and slime in their feathers, they are unable to self regulate their temperature. Consequently, we have to help them as much as possible by keeping the ambient temperature as close as possible to their body temperature. Keeping the building heat high and heating water really raises the operating costs of the non-profit. Believe me, these dedicated souls will appreciate any and all financial help they get!!!
Why don't you go photograph your "glorified crows" or "dumpster chickens" as you referred to these eagles in another thread with your vastly superior film camera techniques and leave this post alone. I'm sure your artistic and aesthetic skills are far beyond any of our lowly abilities anyway. And please be sure to post your incredibly superior images so we can all bow down and learn from the altar of akpowdermonkey.
Thanks so much for your comment.
---------------------------
I apologize to others for the above - with an explanation.
Bald eagles eat fish. Bald eagles therefore seek out fish.
Salmon processing plants often leave fish byproducts around and eagles congregate near these during a food shortage to get an easy meal which is the entire reason for this incident.
Many songbirds eat seed. Song birds therefore seek out seed.
Many people therefore put out seed to attract songbirds in order to provide them with an easy meal. Songbirds congregate around these feeders during a food shortage and then many folks photograph these birds (aka akpowdermonkey's photos of chickadees).
Brown bears eat fish. Bears therefore seek out fish. Fish often school up in places like Brook Falls. Bears gather there to eat these easy to catch fish and photographers gather there to take photos of these bears.
Moose and other ungulates eat vegetation. They therefore seek out such food sources, herding up where food sources are concentrated, which sometimes find them associated with human activities.
And on and on these examples go.
Animals/Birds seek out readily available food sources, especially in the winter. Just because these animals/birds find a food source that is associated with human refuse is NOT a reason to denigrate the species - at least in my humble opinion. Yes, eagles are known scavengers, as are many other birds and animals. Dumpster chickens just doesn't even come close to describing the amazing flight abilities of the bald eagle. Nor have I ever seen a chicken build a huge nest in a cottonwood tree that offspring will faithfully return to for decades to raise their own young. And most chickens end up providing food for human consumption, something I've yet to see an example of when it concerns any species of eagle. Chickens are domesticated birds - raised specifically to provide food for us. Eagles are NOT domesticated. If akpowdermonkey believes an eagle equals a chicken, I'd like to introduce his face to an eagle beak, and his arms to eagle talons. 'Nuff said.
As for an eagle being nothing more than a "glorified crow" - well, the various species of corvids are pretty damn smart and resourceful!
I also like to thank you for donating your time.Some of us dont have this kind of an opportunity. I try to do my part to help the animals and the habitat as much as I can.
harsha
HI Andy
Although exhausted I am sure you are feeling quite good about being able to help. I am sure a lot of people sincerely appreciate your efforts I know I do. I have a niece who does wildlife rehab and she loves it!
Thanks for the story update and for grabbing a picture, take care and am glad to see the progress.
I would like also compliment your kind reply to the post' eagles are glorified crows'. Generally not too interested in someones opinion, but not too happy when it is poked in just to start controversy.
I Thought this statement better explained our feelings as US citizens about the 'Bald Eagle'
The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of American, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent.
I surely believe in the symbolic emblem, thanks again Andy for strongly supporting and caring for it too !
Karl
Edited by Karl Witt on Jan 19, 2008 at 03:48 PM GMT
Andy, this horrible catestrophy was in the newspapers all week long, I hope Ocean Beauty Seafoods has learned a thing or two. Fortunately, there are people like you who did so much for the eagles. Thanks for posting this.
Andy -
I too want to thank and commend you and all the other volunteers for all your efforts. There are many photographers on this forum who strive to capture the magnificent beauty, power and dignity of raptors who I'm sure feel the same way.
As for akpowdermonkey's comments .......... A comment like that just to start a "flame" for the sake of amusement is regrettable and irresponsible. A comment like that being a true reflection of his feelings is truely pathetic as someone who photographs nature and wildlife. It is our obligation and responsibility to do what we can as photographers and beneficiary of this wonderful environ to act as stewards to help preserve this great environment and the creatures that gives us so much joy. A comment like his in a post of just a bird may just seem trivial, but has no place in the context of a post like this.
- Ken
Wonderful work Andy, you and the other volunteers are to be commended. By your writings and comments I know you don't do it for accollades, but everyone deserves them. I second your thoughts on powderdonkey.
