Wildlife Center of Virginia Critter Cam

[AliceWitt]

Danceladyjan just uploaded a video.She is just so clever, I laughed throughout the entire video.
And it is in color  , which is rather unique since the camera always appears in black and white because of the natural lighting.

BW Hawks Bathing, Eating, Pooping 9-08-2011
Credit to Wildlife Center of VA, DGIF. Property of WCV screen capture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ0JCIpC9gk&feature=uploademail

[maple]

The hawks are learning to hunt with live mice. It's horrifying but fascinating. They are definitely learning quickly.

[AliceWitt]

Here is danceladyjan's video of the Mouse hunt, Maple. Just keep telling yourself, "It is the circle of life."
First part shows early on. About 4-5 minutes in the first capture, and around 8 minutes both of the broad wings at the tube feed.

BWHawks Mouse School
Credit to Wildlife Center of VA, DGIF. Property of WCV screen capture. Alan Jackson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec1Np9JpjYk&feature=uploademail

[lv chard]

Here is danceladyjan's video of the Mouse hunt, Maple. Just keep telling yourself, "It is the circle of life."
First part shows early on. About 4-5 minutes in the first capture, and around 8 minutes both of the broad wings at the tube feed.

BWHawks Mouse School
Credit to Wildlife Center of VA, DGIF. Property of WCV screen capture. Alan Jackson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec1Np9JpjYk&feature=uploademail

Neat Alice, thanks.  One has to guess that the cam in addition to the educational purposes allows the Center to better utilize it's staff.  They are spread really thin there fall and spring. 

[AliceWitt]

On September 6, a permitted rehabilitator in Roanoke received a rare adult female Least Bittern from a local rescuer.  The bittern was found a day earlier on the side of the road near Floyd, Virginia.  The bittern was admitted to the Wildlife Center of Virginia on the evening of September 7.

Although not endangered, Least Bitterns are one of the more rarely seen marsh birds in North America due to a combination of factors including their size, habitat, and behavior. According to Birds of North America online, Least Bitterns prefer to inhabit brackish or freshwater marshes with lots dense vegetation.

Wildlife Center staff members are constructing a special habitat for the Least Bittern while she recovers. One of the new outreach coordinators was sent on a special mission to retrieve native grasses and cattails from nearby marshes — so that a more familiar environment for the bittern could be constructed.   One of the outdoor holding pens will be converted into a miniature marsh for her to use for the duration of her stay at the Center.

[AliceWitt]

These two have been eating from the mouse tube off and on all day. The non-banded Broad Tail Hawk is much more active that his cage mate. He flies back and forth frequently while the banded one sits and eats. What is so funny is every time he lands on the swinging perch it sways left to right, his head remains stationary and the body moves with the perch. He can even do it one-legged.

[AliceWitt]

Cam in the Classroom Session
 Join us on Monday, September 12 at 11:30 a.m. (EDT) for a "Cam in the Classroom" Q&A session with Mrs. Matheson's 5th grade class. Mrs. Matheson's class is in Bullhead City, AZ at Desert Valley Elementary. They have adopted Wildlife Center ambassador  Misty the Barred Owl this year and are learning a lot about her and owls in general!

These two keep flying back and forth. They seem to be trying to escape. They frequently will fly into one or more the the overhead beams and then land on the floor.


Sorry, for some reason I keep losing the link to photobucket and have to repost the links,

[AliceWitt]

I have some upsetting news to share, but want to share it in hopes that some of our local friends can spread the word and help us. Misty the Barred Owl escaped today at an event at Afton Mountain Vineyards. There was an issue with her equipment and a knot managed to slip through her swivel. She was last sighted this afternoon in the woods near the vineyards. For those in/near Afton, please spread the word and be on the lookout. She is wearing jesses that are attached by a swivel (metal ring).

Wildlife Center of Virginia » Blog Archive » Missing Misty the Barred Owl
http://www.wildlifecenter.org/wp/2011/09/missing-misty-the-barred-owl/
www.wildlifecenter.org

[lv chard]

I have some upsetting news to share, but want to share it in hopes that some of our local friends can spread the word and help us. Misty the Barred Owl escaped today at an event at Afton Mountain Vineyards. There was an issue with her equipment and a knot managed to slip through her swivel. She was last sighted this afternoon in the woods near the vineyards. For those in/near Afton, please spread the word and be on the lookout. She is wearing jesses that are attached by a swivel (metal ring).

Wildlife Center of Virginia » Blog Archive » Missing Misty the Barred Owl
http://www.wildlifecenter.org/wp/2011/09/missing-misty-the-barred-owl/
www.wildlifecenter.org

Done Alice.  I have sisters and friends that live in AFton.  Thank for the info.

[AliceWitt]

Here's her picture. Owls are nocturnal, so she is probably just roosting somewhere in a tree during the day. Best time to look would be dusk or sunset or even later. Thanks for getting the word out.

If she is spotted call 540-942-9453 or 540-241-4045 after hours.
Thanks for your help.

[AliceWitt]

Broad-winged Hawk #11-1434 came from Roanoke and Broad-winged Hawk #11-1568 [white band] came from Smyth County. Usually it is the Roanoke hawk which is very active, but today it was the Smyth County Hawk. I think little #1568 figured that since his cage-mate couldn't get out, he would put in the effort and definitely break the bonds of the cage and be free.

.

Well no luck; so Smythy says, "I guess I will eat. They just brought a new supply of juicy white mice." Roa won't be outdone, and flies back and forth bonking Smythy and trying to steal the mouse.

[AliceWitt]

Danceladyjan just uploaded two videos from yesterday's activities.

2 WCV Staff Perform Weigh-ins 9-12-2011
Credit to Wildlife Center of VA, DGIF. Property of WCV screen capture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnU5E0LCQQE&feature=uploademail

NB Preening & Buffing Early am 9-12-2011
Credit to Wildlife Center of VA, DGIF. Property of WCV screen capture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fITfckYoRQ4&feature=uploademail

I have mentioned the way that these birds, when they sit on a swinging branch will keep their heads stationary, and the bodies move side to side. Ed Clark said that was one of the adaptations of hawks. He said that is what allows them to focus on an object, usually prey, and still fly at lightning speeds through trees and brush and never lose sight of their focus.

[AliceWitt]

The two Broad-winged Hawks have been released!  

You can now watch Red-tailed Hawk #11-1876.  This hawk was admitted on  July 28 after rescuers found it near the road with a broken wing.  The hawk’s fractured humerus was surgically repaired at the end of July.
http://www.wildlifecenter.org/wp/2011/09/red-tailed-hawk-11-1876/

The camera is active from 6:00 AM EDT until 7:00 PM EDT.
http://wildone.org/eaglecam/wildlife-center-web-cam/  

[AliceWitt]

Wildlife Center of Virginia shared a link.
Broad-winged Hawk Release
Release of 11-1568..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KVARncpMHM&feature=youtu.be

[AliceWitt]

Red-tailed Hawk #11-1876, despite its broken wing, has been flying a little in its new home. They have lowered the stationary and swinging perches a bit, but the A-frames are the same. they have also changed the camera position because little Red-tailed Hawk #11-1876 seems to like it lower in the flight cage.