May 13, 2013
Today my husband brought home one of his new babies, a Barbary falcon he named "CHAOS".
She will be used for our new program along with 6 other exotic birds including and Eagle Owl. Stay tuned for a BIG NEWS RELEASE regarding this new program!
April 19, 2013
The Raptor House will be at New Castle for an educational event for Earth Day April 20, 2013. Come see the many educational raptors on display. Learn about the importance of Conservation, Ecology, and Raptors of the Northwest.
We are gearing up for the opening of the 2013 Summer Educational Events with the Raptor House Rehabilitation Center and Skamania Lodge located in Stevenson, Washington. You can see the summer shows starting June 14, 2013 through Labor Day.
Raptor House will be unveiling the "New" Educational Amphitheater. Visitors will get to sit down and watch a show at the center. Come meet the many new Raptors coming to the Center's Educational Department.
We have a full schedule of educational shows booked through the remainder of the school year. If you are interested in a program in your school or to schedule a visit at the center, we have very limited space left. Please contact the Raptor House to see what days are available.
January 24th, 2013
Today a Immature male Bald Eagle approximate 3 years of age was picked up in lower valley, We fielded the call around 5:30 pm from a couple who had been seeing the bird flying the day before with another adult Bald Eagle, but today was a different story. The couple came home to find the bird laying on the ground, Not to far from the bird lie a Canada goose head and neck that he had obviously been feeding on. When we arrived the bird was alert and obviously not able to navigate at all, Marsha and I was able to gather the eagle up with a few quick tactical moves and away we went. The eagle was then transferred to Ellensburg for X-rays and other testing. The X-rays turned up all clear , but the bird was extremely emaciated and obviously very weak. The eagle was given IV fluid's and was has been treated for other issues.
The eagle now nick named "Constitution" is being treated and being kept under close observation .
"Constitution" undergoing X-rays.
December 10, 2012
As we gear up for the holiday season and Christmas cheer. This does not stop the number of birds still coming to the center in need of care. We had a Red-Tailed hawk adult male with a wrist injury and a Great Horned Owl with a major injury to its wing, we suspect gunshot wound or possible electrocution. So on Friday the animals were taken to Ellensburg Vet Clinic for Dr. Mike Fuller to evaluate. On our way home we had a telephone call from a local mail man delivering the mail on Powerhouse Rd, a large owl found in front of someones home within feet of the mail box, and then a call from the WDFW about the same owl that was called in. We arrived to find a Barred Owl that was obviously hit by a car, the bird has head trauma and is being treated at the facility, and then will be off to see Dr. Mike Fuller.
Unfortunately it is that time of year, the majority of injuries coming in are not birds that we can save. We have had two birds prior come in as a result of electrocution and the result is one euthanized and one will half to wait for the molt to go back into the wild.
In all the years of hard work with wildlife in both education, falconry and rehabilitation, we see more raptors that are destroyed as a result of collisions with motor vehicles. As we are driving on our way to work or to visit family and friends for the holidays, always stay alert to the fact that raptors will use the light poles and and utility poles along side of the road as the perfect hunting spot in search for an easy meal.
We at the Raptor House Rehabilitation Center would like to wish all of our supporters a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We thank all of you for your continued support.
October 18, 2012
As we say good bye to the summer months and welcome in the fall season, a few things come to mind. Hunting season, as people ready for the various animals to hunt, wether is be with a bird, a shot gun, rifle or a bow, please keep in mind that the predator birds you may encounter in the field are protected by the State and Federal Government.
Yesterday we picked up from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife an immature Sharp-Shin Hawk that was shot with bird shot. One of the BB's was lodged in the lower eyelid, causing damages to the eye, the bird has no ability to stand. So a trip to the vet office today to have a radiograph of the entire body to see what kind of damages we are dealing with.
Our "Open House" or as we are calling it the Raptor House Harvest Festival is scheduled for the last Saturday of October 27th from 10 am to 3 pm. We will have fun activities, the Mavericks Football Team, and the unveiling of the "New" Educational Amphitheater
September 5th 2012
Construction begins on our new facilities. We have had amazing support from
the BoyScouts and
August 31st 2012
The release of "Justice" our Bald Eagle went as planned . Justice was injured in what we believe was a fight with a female Bald Eagle. He had injured his wing and was cut to the bone during the tousle. His rehab took approximately 3 yrs. During his stay with us Justice was able to regain full flight capabilities and overcome his injury . His approximate rehab cost was well over 8,000 dollars (food, Vet Visits) , etc. The decision to release Justice at Skamania Lodge was very calculated and thought out, For months leading up to his release Marsha and I scouted out the surrounding habitat and decided the gorge had plenty of resources for Justice to use.
Just before 5 pm hundreds of people gathered to watch this event on the front lawn of Skamania Lodge overlooking the gorge. At 5 pm Sharp the door was opened and Justice took to the sky once again free.
It was an amazing coordinated event for everyone to witness. We are so excited to see what hard work and dedication can do , in this case returning the bird back into the wild.
Marsha and I would like to thank everyone at Skamania lodge for their dedication to making this event happen. We are very blessed to have them as our extended family and friends.
So as our season winds down now its time to catch a little breather, reflect back on some of our accomplishments and get ready for the new challenges we will face in the upcoming months as wildlife rehabbers :)
August 5, 2012
We had a great weekend of shows at Skamania Lodge, then come early this morning out to pick up birds. The first pick up was an immature Swainson's Hawk that is extremely emaciated and dehydrated. Then back to Yakima, to pick up an injured Barn Owl, the out come does not look so good for the owl. The left wing looks to be broken in a couple of places
July 29, 2012
What a busy week here at the Raptor House, we made several pick up of young and injured raptors. We started our week with a young Swainson's Hawk that came from the Gold Course located near or around the Pot Holes Lakes and State Park area. As there was several attempts to try and find someone to take the bird, they kept coming up empty handed on finding someone to help until they contacted Biologist Behr Turner with Grant County PUD. Plans will be to get her to adjust to being around other Swainson's hawks and a quick release back into the wild along with some of the other Swainson's that are currently being rehabbed here at the center.
We then went to check on another hawk, but she was found haunched over under the tree dead. This was a young immature female Red-tailed Hawk. Just one of the 70% of young that will not make it to become an adult.
We then had a young immature female Western Screech Owl come in that was found at pond 1 in the lower valley underneath the Highway tunnel, she was apparently hit by a car and is currently being treated for head trauma. So far so good at this point in time.
And to end the week with another young red-tailed hawk that was found on the floor of a person's garage. This is an immature female that appears to be in excellent feather condition other than the issue of lice and emaciated and dehydrated. We will dust her for her bugs and treat her for both the lice and internal parasites. Get some weight back on her and hopefully she can then go out to an outside pen with the remainder young red-tailed hawks and swain son's hawks.
We were then back at the lodge to perform with the educational team of raptors to educate the guest about raptors and their natural history and about Raptor House Rehab Center.
Raptor Facts: There are many raptors that will nest in man made nest boxes, such as the American Kestrel and the Barn Owl are just two of the many that you can put nest boxes up for. If you have an area that has a certain species of cavity nesting raptors such as owls and kestrels you can find out the dimensions of the opening hole to cut to encourage such species to your property.
July 22, 2012
We had another successful weekend at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson Washington. While at the lodge we fielded telephone calls of injured birds to pick up on Sunday morning.
Prior to the weekend, last week was a very busy week of traveling and picking up injured birds throughout the valley and at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The one that leaves a thought in my mind…is the immature female red-tailed hawk who had no use of her feet. She was found off of road 5.5 and French Man Hill Rd in Grant County by the farmer who was there to check his irrigation to find a wounded hawk sitting on a pipe in his well housing six feet underground. Shannon was able to crawl down to retrieve the bird safely, once he had a hold of her he could see exactly what was the nature of her injuries. It appears that she was electrocuted, the current went into the toe and blew out mid shaft in the tarsus. She was humanely euthanized and Dr. Fuller will take radiographs of her leg to make sure that it was infact electrocution and not that she was shot.
As we thought that the hack box was all cleared out of baby barn owls, we picked up another two babies to add to the hack box. It must be a rather successful year for the rodents, explaining why we are still getting the occasional baby barn owl from time to time.
The sharp shinned hawk that we picked up to finish raising after the parent birds turned up missing and by the time we were called to care for the babies that were on the ground for five days, the reporting party could only find one bird alive, and each time they saw that one bird was when it was feeding on its dead siblings on the ground. When we arrived it appeared that we were not going to be able to find the only live baby, until it came out of hiding to once again feed on its sibling. Once we gathered up the young sharp-shin hawk it was apparently that it was dehydrated and extremely emaciated. Fluids were immediately given to the hawk and once hydrated, the half feathered and half downy baby was starting to show improvement. We noticed a yellow plack under the tongue and treatment for frounce was started. The sharp shin hawk came to us in mid June, and was finely released on Wednesday. We have watched him successfully hunt birds here on the centers property. It is rewarding to see that all our hard work does in fact pay off in the end.
July 13, 2012
Shannon and I are at the Lodge for our educational show and program that we do for Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA. We are able to reach out to a large number of people and families that are from all over the United States and other countries as well. This is a rewarding and educational program for all to see and learn about some of our native raptors in Washington State.
July 12, 2012
As I (Marsha) was educating a small group of kids at the center, my husband Shannon and volunteer Susan took two birds to the vet and our Macaw Lakota for his much need beak and toe nail trim.
The female Kestrel had several breaks, one in her pelvis and the other in her shoulder, these injuries are not repairable and she was euthanized.
It appeared as if the Great Blue Heron could have a chance until radiographs reveals that the bird not only was non-repairable, but that the wounds were well over 2-3 months ago and the direct result of a gun shot. The bird was euthanized.
July 11, 2012
Another warm day here in the valley, we started our morning early heading to Zillah to pick up a baby swainson's hawk that was blown out of the nest tree, then off to Grandview to find a downed hawk, that was back up in the nest tree when we arrived. On our way back to Yakima, we were called regarding a great blue heron that was in a neighbors field with a broken wing. When we arrived to find the GBH pacing along a hot wire fence and the injury was extremely obvious, the left wing was dragging the ground. The GBH has a compound fracture to the left shoulder. This is a non-repairable injury and the bird will be euthanized. To finish the day with a pick up at the WDFW for a young American Kestrel, she has electrical burns to her right foot.
Tomorrow will be another busy day with early morning veterinarian visits, and a group of about 20 summer school kids coming to the center to learn about birds of prey.
July 10, 2012
Thank you to the fine individuals with ResQ Angels for the donation of wild bird seed, McCaw Food and Chicken Food to the center. It will be put to great use. Tomorrow will be another busy day with the arrival of two geese and a load of salmon for the eagles. All of the babies brought into the center are doing well.
Construction of our new educational center will be underway once all the permits are in place. Vinyl fencing is waiting to go up, and for the public this will become the place to go for education about raptors and wildlife in general. I have a young man, a Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout Project that has taken on the task of providing this work and design. He could still use some help with individuals and companies to help with some of the funding for the project. If you or your company would like to help, a plaque will be made to honor all of those financial volunteers who are donating to the cause of raptor education in our valley locally for children and adults to learn all about. A special thanks to Othan Hamill for all of his hard work and dedication at working to make this possible and to fulfill the need of a program in our valley and local cities.
July 8, 2012
We had a Thunderstorm in the valley that blew down trees, caused fires in our area, and many electrical transformers down. The first thing I told my husband was that we were going to be extremely busy with downed birds as a result of this storm. So come 7 am the calls started coming in, thankfully with the help of volunteer Susan V. and the girls in the Department of Fish and Wildlife, we were able to gather up two red-tailed hawk chicks, 5 Swainson's hawks, 1 American Kestrel (male) and 1 California Quail chick. Wow what a long day.
July 5, 2012
Took Golden Eagle Diesel in for a check up with Dr. Mike Fuller. On the fourth we had a barn owl come into the center with an obvious head injury. We left her at the vet office for Dr. Mike to take a closer look at her and make sure that she does not have any other issues from a possible collision with a moving vehicle. One of our latest intakes was an adult turkey vulture. That is one really grumpy bird, quick with his beak and sneaking a bite or two.
July 1st, 2012
Looking in at the Baby Barn Owls.
Tonight we had 2 new visitors to the center . We picked up an injured immature female Red-tailed hawk and after feeding the baby barn owls that were in the nest box we watched another three more flying around in the sky and landing in the trees located on the property. It has been a successful year with the hacking of baby barn owls. We have had up to three more owls that are from the wild population visiting the hack box. Volunteer Michelle rescued a young raven. We will be taking the immature red-tail and the raven to the vets office for radiographs of the injured wings.
I personally hope that with the barn owl hack box in place that it will provide a place for a pair to eventually come back to the box to produce young of their own. If this does occur it will allow for us to have the perfect fostering system in place for raising orphaned baby barn owls.
Today we also had one baby California Quail chick come to the center. It is in the incubator with food and water. We will see how well it is doing come morning.
I am amazed at how quickly June has come and gone. I can remember looking at the young baby barn owls all covered in downy and here they are now, fully flighted, all feathered out, and here for just a moment and one day they too will be gone. Enter life and a world so vast and full of many adventures a head for each and every one.
Raptor Fact: 70% of young (immature) raptors will not make it through their first winter.
(Through the looking glass)
June 25, 2012
The young red-tail hawk that was hit by a vehicle returned to the wild. We have successfully hacked out four baby barn owls at the center, released two red-tailed hawks, and currently hacking in the Kestrel nest tree out of a hack box three American Kestrels. We currently still have four baby kestrels awaiting transport to the hack box, three great horned owls chicks, one of which will be releasable, one will not due to loss of sight in the eye and the third and final one is still in rehab and prognosis is unknown.
Yesterday we picked up the one red-tailed hawk chick and one kestrel from the vet clinic in Ellensburg. And a special thanks to Dr. Mike Fuller for all of his care and dedications to helping raptors and wildlife.
On another note, one of the baby raccoons brought to the vet clinic did pass from distemper. A common and deadly disease in raccoons. This explains the runny nose and gooey eyes.
The immature female barn owl that was hit by a vehicle and picked up just before the fruit stand exit 26, is currently at the vet office prognosis is still unknown.
The unusual colored female American Kestrel, is responding well from her treatment for Frounce. After treating for now almost two weeks, the yellow plak that was in her mouth and throat is now almost gone. She came to the center emaciated and unable to feed herself from the plak in the mouth and was moments from death. I will do a comparison pictures of her to show the difference in coloration. I personally would cast her up, and hand feed her to ensure that she was in fact getting the needed nutrition and medication to ensure her survival.
June 20, 2012
Today Shannon went on a "Wild Goose" chase…literally. We got a call from Julie at the WDFW about a hurt Canada Goose. She was in the back yard in town. It appears that she is this years baby and has broken off a blood feather. She currently is not flighted, but in due time she will be on the wing. She is enjoying the pond and the safety of the island. Yesterday June 19, 2012, we took a drive up the canyon to rescue a wounded baby Great Horned Owl, she apparently had an injury to her right wrist, further evaluation showed that she also has been on the ground for some time, she has no muscle or fat on her, she was within a day or two from death. We did get her hydrated and she had her first real meal in a long time. It has been a rather busy year during the baby season for us here at the Raptor House, we currently have a total of eight baby American Kestrels, four baby barn owls left in the box, depending on the day sometimes we have more in there including the wild adult and one or two more of her young following her back and forth. We have dropped off a load to the vet which included two Kestrels, one downy barn owl, and a young red-tailed hawk. We will keep you updated on their progress.
June 14, 2012
This morning my husband Shannon and I awoke to a call from a dear friend who had the misfortune of seeing a juvenile Red Tail Hawk ( last years chick) being struck by a car. The Hawk was swooping down onto the road for it's morning meal as the car was passing by clipping the hawk. The hawk was then gathered up and then dropped off at the facility, at the initial examination we could see that the majority of the hawks injury is to the right shoulder area The youngster will be examined once again and have another set of X-rays taken at the Ellensburg Animal Hospital by Dr Mike Fuller, at that time a plan for the birds recovery will then be assessed.
June 8, 2012
Morning check on the animals that came to the center yesterday. All is doing well. We half to get the Red-tailed hawk to Dr. Fuller today for radio graphs of the hawks wing. The birds feather condition is poor from being on the ground, it is last years young that had the two middle (deck) feathers on the tail coming in as adult feathers. We would call a bird at this stage in life a sub-adult. Overall body condition is very thin on the keel bone.
The baby Kestrel is a very young female. She is mainly all fuzz and very little feather growth. We had to keep her separate from the other four. The second youngest male wanted to eat her, even though there is only about three days indifference in age. We will try to slowly introduce her to the growing brood of baby Kestrels before they are placed in the hack box.
The very imprinted baby gosling is doing well. Eventually we will slowly introduce the gosling for short swims in the pond until she/he is able to spend the days on its own. Right now it is just too young and would not survive without proper warmth and protection.
June 7, 2012
At 12:30 am this morning Wilson or as we liked to call her Lady Liberty took her flight to Oklahoma for her final destination and her permanent home. I hope she does well in the rest of her many years to come.
Waking up this morning, there was certain that one thing was missing…Wilson's morning wake up call of her talking back and forth to the other eagles in the flight pen. I certainly miss that sound.
Yesterday the educational team was at Pioneer Elem. School located in Quincy. The children had some amazing questions and bird facts. Way to go for the Teachers, staff and students of Pioneer Elem. School.
Wow….We actually get a break today. Well, almost, I do have a bird to pick up this morning at the Department of Fish and Wildlife. And home to place with the three other Kestrels already here at the center. So far we have two males and one female.
Time: 5:39 pm - So much for a nice calm day. We made two trips to the Department of Fish and Wildlife to pick up a baby American Kestrel (male) and then on the second visit a red-tailed hawk and a very imprinted baby Canada Goose. And on the way to Wenas Feed to pick up food for the baby goose, another call came in for a very young baby Kestrel. We will see what my loving husband comes home with altogether. If this is truly another Kestrel this will make 5 of them altogether at the center awaiting to be hacked out of the nest tree with our wild pair of nesting Kestrels. They are the perfect foster parents and have been caring for young kestrels for eight years now.
Bill Voelker of the Comanche Nation called to inform us that Wilson (Lady Liberty) arrived in perfect condition. They are very pleased with her and I hope that she will provide many young eagles in her life in the efforts of ensuring the survival of the species.
June 6, 2012
Today is a happy, but yet a sad day as well. Wilson or as we liked to call her Lady Liberty a female Bald Eagle will be taking a flight out of Seattle to her new home. She is going to Oklahoma to live with the Comanche Nation and become a possible breeder bird for their raptor program. Wilson was rehabbed by Dr. Mike Fuller DVM and Marni Wines. They did a fabulous job in caring for her and saving her life after someone chose to shoot her causing permanent damages to her wing. She is no longer capable of flight as a result. She has been in captivity for almost six years now. Unfortunately eagles are very difficult to place, those who are legally able to have eagles are full, making it very difficult to place eagles. (The picture of adult eagle on basalt column is Wilson.) We will certainly miss seeing her at the center.
On another note, we are starting to get baby Kestrels into the center. It is certainly baby season. As soon as one thinks it is going to slow down….It speeds right up again. If you find a raptor in distress please contact your local rehabber for assistance in what to do and not to do. You can also contact your local Department of Fish and Wildlife for a list of rehabbers in your area.
June 3, 2012
Spring babies are keeping us busy at the Raptor House. For the first time this year we have started hacking out baby barn owls from a nest box here at the center. Tonight we found that we have an adult helping in caring for the babies and also another baby barn owl that we have no idea where it came from. The only thought is that it has followed the adult to the nest box and has decided that the accommodations are real good here.
This year One-Eyed Willy the adult Great Horned Owl has single handedly raised two orphaned Great Horned Owls. Unfortunately, only one of the owls is releasable because the older and larger one only has one good eye. She came in with an eye injury, and was already blind. We will be eventually looking to place her in a permanent educational program or zoo.
It has been a rather hard spring for young red-tailed hawks. The first of our patient's home was cut down. If you know that there is an active nest please do not cut it down. Unfortunately the baby red-tail was euthanized by our Vet because of two major unrepairable fractures in the wing involving the joint. The other two are brother and sister, not much is know of their back ground, but they appear to be very socialized to humans. This becomes a problem when people keep birds, such as raptors and they become imprinted on people, thus making them confused of the natural order of what they are to do naturally, this results in a potentially dangerous animal to people and itself. So please if you find a young raptor, get it to the nearest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, a Vet or the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
We see a number of raptors come through the center that people find and care for, resulting in feeding them pork, hot dogs, ground beef. This is not suitable for raptors and will result in the death of the animal. Sadly, a baby barn owl was dropped off at the center, the only one left from seven babies. The individual fed the babies ground beef, resulting in all of them dying except for the one. Once she was finally able to find someone (Raptor House) who could legally take the bird and care for it, it was too late, the damage was already done. The baby barn owl had no use of it legs or wings, it had multiple fractures in both wings and legs as a result of poor diet and the lack of calcium. We had to euthanize the baby barn owl. This is called "Rickets," a result of lack of proper diet and warmth. If you find a bird please refer to your local Department of Fish and Wildlife for a list of Wildlife Rehabbers or Veterinarian for the best and most humane care for the animal that you find.
May 15, 2012
Started preparation for flight demonstration stage and new weathering yard.
April 7, 2012
See us at Yakima Co-op for Customer appreciation days 10am — 2pm
April 6, 2012
Photo appears nationwide of Patriot and Marsha at Skamania Lodge.
April 4, 2012
RHRC has teamed up with Grant Count PUD for Avian Identification, Nest Management and Avian Protection. We will be providing all rehabilitation on injured birds from Grant County PUD.
January 26, 2012
Dalan-Flamm
Marsha Flamm and Shannon Dalan were married January 26, 2012, in Coeur d’Alene Idaho.
The bride is the daughter of Daniel and Karen Schaefer of Freeburg Illinois. The bridegroom is the son of Michael and Donna Dalan of Chelan, Washington.
The couple is at home in Yakima, Washington.
