Rowena Wildlife Clinic

07/03/2024

Happy 4th of July weekend! Please remember that wildlife startle from the fireworks and often leave their nests or dens as a reaction. They might be darting across roads or flying erratically, and one easy way we can help them is to drive slower and more mindfully this holiday weekend!

Here are three of our current patients, all suffering from the result of vehicular collisions:

📷 1: Fox kit, orphaned when mom was hit by car, rescued by ODFW
📷 2: Bald Eagle, suffering from lead poisoning likely leading to a vehicle collision and severe head trauma, rescued by WA state patrol
📷 3: Western Screech Owl, head trauma from a vehicle collision

04/27/2024

Hi friends! Did you know our sister clinic in White Salmon, Mountain Top Wildlife, is on Facebook? Give them a follow for more wildlife updates in the Gorge area!

What should you do if a squirrel approaches you, like the one in the photo below? Call our wildlife hotline at 541-615-1565! The squirrel is likely in need of medical attention.

Young squirrels will approach humans when they are starving and cold and are frantically looking for a ‘mother’ figure to help them.

Mountain Top Wildlife can help orphaned squirrels like this. We provide medical care for hypothermic and starving squirrels, who require delicate warming and re-feeding so their systems aren’t overloaded. Our rehabilitation process also helps young squirrels develop natural behaviors (think: foraging for nuts, building nests) so they can be successfully released back into the wild.

We’re grateful to the rescuer from Vancouver who called Mountain Top for advice about this squirrel, and we were able to connect him with a rehabber in his area.

03/22/2024

Join us this Saturday from 9-12 at UCD’s TreeFest at Rheingarten Park in White Salmon! Ash and Dr. Dave will be at our table answering wildlife questions and providing updates about our sister clinic’s progress, Mountain Top Wildlife! Our education Great-Horned Owl will also be joining them. 🦉

12/21/2023

We have two Varied Thrushes in the clinic right now, one with a coracoid fracture (by the shoulder) and one with a ‘hand’ fracture. We hope to release both back to the wild within a few weeks.

In warmer months, these birds are found up toward the mountain, deep in the conifer forests where they munch on insects. In the winter and during heavy snowfall, they journey to the open—like the Hood River Valley—where they feast on winter berries, nuts, and fruit.

Next time you glance outside, see if you notice any Varied Thrushes visiting your yard! Their size and coloring is similar to that of an American Robin.

11/23/2023

Today and every day we are thankful for YOU! Your continued support allows us to rehabilitate wild animals for release back to the wild.

One current patient at our clinic is this Northern Saw-Whet Owl, who came to us with head trauma after flying into a window. He will be released next week!

Text ROWENA to 443-21 to make a donation. A $10+ donation will support this fierce fluff-ball until he flies back to the wild. 🦉🙏🏼

10/16/2023

Looking for a plans this Saturday? Come see Tia Carroll at Hood River Inn (Best Western Gorge Room). Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tia-carroll-benefit-for-rowena-wildlife-clinic-tickets-718228509807?aff=oddtdtcreator

All profit goes directly toward Rowena Wildlife Clinic! A live auction for local goods and services will also take place. Don’t miss out!

10/14/2023

This teeny Yellow-rumped Warbler is currently in our care with broken metacarpal bones (the ‘hand’ bones). Luckily, this injury doesn’t require surgery. The Warbler instead has a small splint. We hope to get it back out to the wild soon so it can continue on migration.

In this photo you can see Dr. Jean holding the Warbler steady while it participates in a mealworm tea party. As an insectivore, it is used to eating food on the wing (while flying); thus, we have to be creative in how we present food—hence, the smooshed mealworm guts on a platter seen here. 🥴

Please remember that we’re rehabbing even when we’re not posting on social media! Your donations allow this work to be possible. Text ROWENA to 44321 to donate.

06/16/2023

Folks near The Dalles library might be surprised to see this bird of prey—a juvenile branchling Red Tailed Hawk—hanging out and calling to his parents!

A bird in the branchling phase has ventured out of the nest to rest on nearby branches. The birds will often practice flapping their wings in preparation for the fledgling phase when they learn to fly. Birds in these stages often don’t need our help, but be sure to snap a photo (from a safe distance) to send to us and give us a ring if you are unsure of the bird’s safety.

Thanks to Sally and her neighbor for the photo, and kudos to Jane Baker from animal control for checking on the bird. We love our community of wildlife friends!

06/12/2023

SUCCESS STORY!

This juvenile Bushtit was successfully rehabilitated and released back to the wild!

Many people might think the larger birds, like Eagles, take the most time to work with. But you might be surprised at how much time and energy a little bird like this requires too.

This Bushtit came to us with a wing injury. It could fly horizontally but could not gain elevation. We treated similarly to other birds of its size (like Hummingbirds) with lots of rest and lots of food.

But insectivores don’t always readily eat in a rehab setting. That means: Dr. Jean and team + forceps + several hours of patiently holding mealworms out for the Bushtit until it eats.

Eventually the Bushtit resumed eating on its own, and it also regained flight strength. It was released where found, where a flock of Bushtits resides.

06/09/2023

We receive so many calls this time of year about fawns who are found alone. We’d like to help you know when to intervene and when to leave the fawns alone!

A doe will leave her fawn(s) during the day while she browses for food. It’s safer for the fawns, who are not strong enough to outrun predators. Fawns will curl down to sleep in brush, under trees, or sometimes in your yard! They will ‘freeze’ if they sense danger—it’s their way of looking invisible. 😆

When to call a rehabilitator (do this before moving a fawn):
1. It has obvious injuries, like open/bloody wounds or broken limbs.
2. The mother is dead next to it.
3. It did not move locations overnight AND appears listless or ill.

We are always available to answer your questions or concerns about fawns! Please be open to our advice and trust that we have the best interests in mind for these little creatures—we don’t want to kidnap them from their mamas!

05/25/2023

‘Tis the season for baby bird calls at Rowena Wildlife Clinic! Here’s a quick guide to help you determine if a baby bird found on the ground needs help.

When in doubt, move the bird to very nearby shelter (like the shade of a bush or tree), snap a quick photo, and retreat far enough away that parents will feel safe to return to feed the bird. Monitor the baby bird from a distance and give us a call at 541-478-2584. We will identify the bird from your photo and provide further instruction. (Please do not text directly; this is a landline number. ☎️)

05/23/2023

We have several Eagles at the clinic right now, including this adult male Bald Eagle who was rescued by Todd Jacobs of WDFW.

How can you help our Eagle patients? DONATE! Eagles—as you can imagine—are voracious eaters. They also require specialized blood tests that are shockingly expensive. By donating $5 or $10 today, you can help fund our Eagles in rehabilitation. https://www.rowenawildlifeclinic.org/donate.html

Thie Eagle pictured here had a pectoral wound (potentially from a fight with an Osprey) and was too weak to stand. Luckily, his bloodwork came back normal, he was negative for lead poisoning, and his X-rays didn’t reveal any fractures. We treated the wound with antibiotics and gavage fed (tube fed) until his energy returned and he gained weight. Within a week, he was ready for an outdoor enclosure. We expect a release to the wild as soon as he completes enough flight conditioning.

A big thank you goes out to Dr. Jean, Dr. Dave, and Dr. Jonit for their commitment to these patients.

📷 1: Eagle at rescue
📷 2: Eagle in outdoor aviary

05/19/2023

SUCCESS STORY!

This Bald Eagle came to Rowena Wildlife Clinic in March with a bruised wing that was hindering flight. Just like with a human bruise, the Eagle required rest and some TLC. The rehab was successful, and last week the Eagle was released along the Klickitat River. Thank you to Ellen Donoghue for assisting in the release and capturing these photos.

Donations by our supporters make this work possible. ALL donations in any amount help our patients. Text ROWENA to 443-21 to make a donation with your credit card, or you can mail a check to:
Rowena Wildlife Clinic
6900 Hwy 30 W
The Dalles, OR 97058

We can’t do this work with you. Thank you!

05/13/2023

What’s one easy way to serve as a wildlife hero? SLOW DOWN!

People often think birds in the road will fly away when a car approaches, but this isn’t true! Some birds, like California Quail, prefer to walk/run and won’t always take flight from the road. Other animals, like crows or squirrels, might be scavenging food and won’t move in time. And some raptors have poor peripheral vision, so they won’t see a car approaching if they are swooping for prey.

Driving slowly at dawn and dusk can save lives, from little fawns crossing the street to large raptors swooping for prey. A quick toot of your horn can also alert the wildlife of your approach, giving them more time to move.

05/07/2023

This male Violet Green Swallow was found on the ground in Hood River. After an exam and test flight at the clinic, Dr. Cypher determined the swallow has a coracoid fracture. The coracoid connects the keel and humerus (the wing and body). With a bird this small, the best practice is to limit fight activity while the bone resets.

Violet Green Swallows are gorgeous little birds. They catch insects while in flight, and you can often see groups of swallows swooping and gliding in the air together. These swallows can look brown and boring, but if caught in the right light—like the photo here—they look almost tropical!

05/06/2023

This Flicker arrived at Rowena Wildlife Clinic with a wound on its elbow but luckily no fractured bones. With wound management and time—and a cozy, private enclosure to rest up in, see photo—we’re optimistic for a release back to the wild! Currently the Flicker receives twice weekly bandage changes and physiotherapy. When the wound heals, we will move the Flicker to an outdoor enclosure.

Flickers are large woodpeckers commonly found in the Gorge. Unlike other woodpeckers, Flickers prefer to forage on the ground for ants, beetles, and insects. But they still drum on objects in order to communicate, sometimes to the chagrin of homeowners. 🤭

04/19/2023

Rowena Wildlife Clinic is looking for a local accountant! Email [email protected] if you are an accountant who can help (see our needs below).

Our needs:
-local accountant
-familiar with Quick Books
-charitable fee or volunteer basis
-commitment for multiple years

Our current account is retiring; she has kept our books in top shape for many years, and we will forever be grateful for her help. She will be available to work with the new accountant during the transition.

12/09/2022

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: We’re prepping to send out the Rowena Wildlife Clinic newsletter!

This year’s newsletter includes updates about our long-term plans, patient profiles on an eaglet and squirrel kits, and a behind-the-scenes narrative of our surgery schedule.

We want to thank Brad Ryhlick at the Hood River UPS Store who prints our newsletters. We are thankful for community partners like Brad! Check out the UPS Store in HR (by Rosauers) for your printing and shipping needs this holiday season!

11/29/2022

Think of us this giving season!

Rowena Wildlife Clinic provides medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care to injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife for release back to the wild. We are a non-profit organization reliant entirely on donations and grants.

This year, rescuers brought more than 65 different species to the clinic for care. Because of your generosity, we’ve rehabilitated and released hundreds of animals back to the wild.

Visit https://www.rowenawildlifeclinic.org/donate.html to make a tax deductible donation.

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for your encouragement and support. We could not do any of this work without your help. 💙

Enjoy the day and try to squeeze in a post-meal nap, like this sleepy ground squirrel (who was successfully rehabbed and released back to the wild this June).

11/24/2022

As we approach the holidays, remember that one easy, free way to support Rowena Wildlife Clinic is to use Amazon Smile! Instructions are in the photo!

10/28/2022

SUCCESS STORY!

We received three orphaned Douglas squirrel babies late this summer. A few weeks ago, we released them back to the wild! To prep these babies for squirrel life, we provided a nest box in their enclosure and plenty of native foods/plants for them to cache. Once they were used to sleeping in their box and stashing food, we transported the box to their release site.

Squirrel mamas will have two litters (early spring and late summer) if the weather and environment is favorable. With the warm weather lasting so long this year, squirrel babies were coming to us in September!

Your donations go directly toward the care, diet, and enclosure materials for our rehabbing animals—these babies now have long lives ahead of them AND immediate shelter and food while they prep for cooler temps and snow because of YOUR help!

10/06/2022

SUCCESS STORIES!

Last week we released a Turkey Vulture and two Great-Horned Owls!

These patients came to us with a variety of injuries: a broken leg, broken fingers, head trauma, and a broken wing.

Did you know that many of our patients also come to us emaciated and starving? Raptors have a difficult time hunting when injured because they hunt from the air (rather than foraging on the ground).

Our rehabilitation process requires a careful balance of treating the starvation symptoms while staying mindful of bone fractures. Broken bones can begin healing improperly or even die if not treated in time, but the patients can often be too fragile in their emaciated states to undergo anesthesia.

Every patient we release back to the wild is a huge victory for our team, and we’re glad you’re here celebrating with us!

10/04/2022

SUCCESS STORY!

We successfully rehabilitated and released two juvenile male Osprey last week! In the video below, you can see Dr. Jean releasing an Osprey who arrived at RWC with wing trauma.

These releases are a huge success for our team, as now the Osprey can begin their long winter migration to South America.

We are grateful to donors who supported these patients’ rehabilitation! Osprey eat massive amounts of fish, and they are picky about the type and size. Having your extra support allowed us to provide treatment for these patients in a way that lowered their stress and improved their ability to heal. Thank you!

09/12/2022

Happy Monday from some of the patients at Rowena Wildlife Clinic who were successfully rehabilitated and recently released!

📷 info:
1. Barred Owl, head trauma from vehicle collision
2. California Quail, window strike trauma (chased by a hawk)
3. Northern Flicker, cat-caught with ruptured air sacs and missing tail feathers
4. Western Wood Peewee, found unable to fly from unknown trauma

08/19/2022

We currently have three fish-eating raptors in our care: Two Osprey and a Bald Eagle!

We have high hopes that all three patients will be successfully rehabilitated and released back to the wild! While medical treatment differs depending on their injury, they all have one thing in common—they eat LOTS of fish.

We have a great fish supplier this year, but we would appreciate monetary donations of *any* amount to help offset the cost of feeding these birds! Please text ROWENA to 443-21 to make a donation.
———
📷 1: A young Osprey with bruising and a wing injury, possibly suffered on one of the first forays from the nest
📷 2: Dr. Dave surgically places pins in an Osprey’s leg to help heal a fracture
📷 3: Dr. Dave and Ash take blood and perform an exam on a juvenile Bald Eagle

08/13/2022

UPDATE: We have found several locations for release for these birdies! Thank you! You’re a wonderful wildlife community!

—

Hi friends! We’re reaching out to see if anyone has either Barn Swallows or Cedar Waxwings in their area.

These two babies were orphaned (separately), and they are now ready for release! Please message us on here if you are aware of these birds in your yard or neighborhood. We’d prefer a site with available water, food, and no cats.

08/07/2022

Do you like blues? Do you like supporting Rowena Wildlife Clinic? Then buy your tickets for Rick Estrin & The Nightcats now! Aug. 13, 7-10pm, Hood River Inn.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/squrl-music-presents-rick-estrin-and-the-nightcats-tickets-377388337677?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

We’ll be there to answer your wildlife questions and chat about our hopes to open a satellite clinic in White Salmon.

A huge shout out goes to Steve Curley (Squrl Music) for planning this benefit!

07/23/2022

We’re also in the thick of our baby season here at Rowena Wildlife Clinic!

Here you can see some of our baby bird patients, all who require a special formula of baby bird food, fruit, and/or mealworms.

1. Nestling Cedar Waxwing and nestling Barn Swallow
2. Juvenile Black-headed Grosbeak
3. Lewis’s Woodpecker (1 of 3 nestlings)
4. Nestling Scrub Jays

While some of these babies fell from their nests, others were predator caught and require more intense medical treatment—like the Scrub Jay in the last photo who had surgery for a leg fracture.

07/22/2022

We’re in the thick of our busy season! Here are two of our current patients: a Barred Owl with head trauma, likely from a car collision, and a Great-Horned Owl with broken fingers.

Did you know that patient care at the clinic extends all day long? During baby season, Dr. Jean will feed and monitor patients all through the night (sometimes feeding at hours like 11pm or 4am). Owls, like the two shown here, are primarily nocturnal, so they don’t become active until dusk. Owl feeding happens pretty late on these long summer days!