Ongoing maintenance is something that every business owner, home owner, and even landowner needs to do! This summer at SOAR, the ‘hawk house’ had new galvanized window screen attached to the exterior of every open window on a flight pen. Why window screen on flight pen windows? We try to give our recovering patients every
It’s difficult being a wild creature in the human landscape. Dangers lurk around every corner and navigating them is a challenge. Look out your window and you’re likely to see at least a couple hazards for our furred and feathered friends, in fact your window could be a hazard. SOAR admits most patients because of
Many eagle nests across the Midwest already have downy-covered eaglets being attended to by adults. Other nests, have folks on “hatch watch.” That is true at the eagle nest near me and those monitored by our friends at Raptor Resource Project. As of early on the 31st March, two eggs have hatched at Decorah North
A Lego League Robotics Club from South Sioux City, Nebraska had a task to look for local issues and possible solutions, then present their findings to a group. The club members are all 5th graders this school year. SOAR learned from Woodbury County Conservation naturalist, Theresa Kruid, that they visited the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
With the latest bald eagle admitted 19 December 2016 with HI blood lead levels as measured on our in-house diagnostic equipment, several have asked questions about why, how, and from where do eagles get lead poisoning. How can eagles and other birds get lead in their system? Primary lead exposure in animals is caused by
Oiy vey! Repairs… If you own a car, a house, vacation property, land, or many other items, then you know all to well about the need for periodic maintenance and the unexpected maintenance! It’s not sexy, but necessary. Unexpected maintenance almost always happens at an inconvenient time. In my family (Linette) we call that “Murphy!”
We’re almost ready to turn the calendar over to December. Wasn’t it just August and we were tired of heat and humidity? Lately, my husband and I have been checking off the usual fall rituals of the Midwest. SOAR is also going through seasonal rituals of getting ready for the cold and snow of an
SOAR is looking to add another fuel-efficient transport vehicle to our fleet. Every year, we seem to admit even more patients than the year before and while we need an additional vehicle, a new vehicle is simply out of the question. We’re hoping that someone out there has a reliable SUV or extended cab pick-up
SOAR once again assisted the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Program in collecting young osprey in northern Minnesota for hacking (a special kind of release) in Iowa. SOAR Education Director, Terrie, and SOAR Intern, Trevor were near Brainerd, MN on 11-12 July working with IDNR and the skilled lineman from Allete / Minnesota
In Iowa, the barn owl is a state endangered species due to a lack of habitat for their prey and for nesting. Since 2012, 20 barn owl adults, hatchlings, and eggs have been admitted. Most admits have come from areas of Iowa with more grassland and nesting habitat (southern Iowa and the Loess Hills region