Construction projects always take longer than anticipated! Progress is being made on the much-needed food storage building at SOAR. The location for the food shed has been cleared of overhanging trees. The location leveled and graveled. A 12′ x 28′ storage building was brought in. The interior insulation and wall covering are about complete! Next
The hatch-year 2019 bald eagles in the nursery have moved to the 20’x60’ flight pen! D33, DN9, Allamakee, and Calmar moved on 23 July and can now “start their engines” so to speak. This flight pen is large enough to allow for those necessary short flights that build muscle, stamina, and skill in landing. (Would
When is SOAR going to release the Decorah area eaglets? How does SOAR evaluate patients for release? How do these birds fit back into the environment? First, we should talk about how sick and injured raptors get to SOAR! SOAR receives the injured birds (usually after several phone calls, text messages, and photos to assess
An adult bald eagle admitted 15 February 2019 to SOAR was reported to Winneshiek County (Iowa) dispatch by MANY people driving Pole Line Road west of Decorah. Thank you to everyone for caring enough to make a phone call. On 27 June 2019, this bald eagle was released in Winneshiek County to fly wild once
As part of ongoing data collection looking at bald eagles and lead exposure in birds admitted to wildlife rehabilitators in Iowa, SOAR started collecting beak depth measurements. A research paper from Garcelon et al (Journal of Wildlife Management 49(3):1985) is the basis for SOAR to use beak depth measurement for a gender determination. The Garcelon
Black flies are also called buffalo gnats because the very tiny fly (5-15 mm) has a humped thoracic region that might look like the hump on a buffalo / bison. Black flies are true flies (Order Diptera) and classified in the family Simuliidae. I learned, during the 2018 black fly season, from a University of
What an eventful week! On Saturday, the other eaglet – D32 that was rescued on Friday 7 June – from the nest near the Decorah Fish Hatchery was transported to SOAR. D32 had excellent care on Friday evening and Saturday morning from Raptor Resource Project board member and veterinarian Laura. D32 spent several days evading
This hatch-year (HY19) bald eagle – DN9 – from the Decorah North Nest and famous from the Raptor Resource Project (RRP) nest camera fell to the ground under the nest on 6 June. RRP board member, Dave K, was able to locate and rescue this eaglet on 7 June. DN9 was transported to SOAR on
The hatch-year (HY19) bald eagle from the nest near the Decorah Fish Hatchery and famous from the Raptor Resource Project nest camera tumbled to the ground under the nest on 5 June. Hatchery staff were alerted and the juvenile was safely retrieved and taken to the hatchery. Also on 5 June, this eaglet began the
Early February 2019, SOAR was notified that a grant application to the Community Foundation of Carroll County was awarded to help build a much needed food storage building! When SOAR’s facility was planned and built, approximately 100 wild bird patients were admitted each year. Over the years, the admission rate has more than tripled. To