Subject: [Tweeters] Ancient Murrelet is happy to be back in the water!
Date: Nov 29 19:32:53 2006
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit513 at msn.com


Hello Denny and tweeters,
What a happy ending,that the Ancient Murrelet got saved and mad it well in to the Puget Sound Waters.What one success story this is.Despite the long drive and here the bad roads,what are even now dominating the news all day.It took one great caring person what did the extra step and caring to saving a wild bird.
It was the 26th of February 2002, I believe that we birded Skagit for the Falcated Teal.An one of the roads we spotted a injured Falcon.We stopped and we know that this was a young Peregrine .By this time more cars approached where I stopped all cars to make sure that there would avoid this injured bird ,otherwise there would smash this bird completely.Every one was nice and avoided this bird.We trying to pick the bird up,but he don't let us as he was trying to run of ,but barley could made few stops.I always keeping a blanket in my car,what we pulled over his head and tan slowly picket the bird up,and drove to the next store we could find to get a big box to put this bird in and cover the blanket so he could not get out of the box.From a local we found out where Bud Anderson lives,so we figured this would be no trouble at all and But would know where to get help for this injured bird.It so happen that Bud was out of town,his dad told us.By this time it gotten to dark and we drove home with this Falcon.We had a big Dog cage and we trying to give him some water.The next morning we got on the phone and called several places and no one wanted this bird.But after few hours we got desperate and I called Dennis Paulson to ask if he recommend anything where we can get help for this Falcon.He recommended the Woodland Park Zoo.We called first and it looked good ,since there told us to bring this bird.But after a long drive to find the right department there was a mistake and there could not by thee rules take this bird in.But the give us the Address from the SARVEY Wildlife Center outside Everett.How relieved we where that was one of the moments I will never forget.We was allowed to staying when there took x-ray,what showed no broken bones or wings,but very bruised up.So we left so relieved that this bird probable survive his injury.After a month I got a letter in the mail telling us that the bird was a young female and that there released this bird close where we found it.There also sent us a photo of this bird ( sorry but I can not find it right now.)
When we had problem finding the right place for this Falcon to get help,I kind of thinking,but not mention that when you picking something wild up,there is a little trouble to finding the right agency what would take a wild bird.There also bee many times we rescue some Alcids on the beach what being stranded .Last moth when we birded with birders from the east coast to finding Snowy Plovers.We found a Common Murre on Midway Beach stranded.With the help from Jim Pruske we taken the Murre to the water,and he was swimming of as we watched this.I am sure that there are a lot of birders what can tell stories like this it is so amazing that some of the birds will survive with our help.--- Original Message -----
From: "Denny Granstrand" <dgranstrand at charter.net>
To: <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 4:32 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Ancient Murrelet is happy to be back in the water!


> Hi Tweeters,
>
> My wife and I left Yakima at about 9:00 this morning and got to the
> park at the north end of the Seattle waterfront just before
> noon. The murrelet seemed really alert and healthy, so we were
> comfortable in releasing it into Elliot Bay. As we walked away from
> the car with the murrelet in a bird cage, some gulls called from the
> north side of the pier. The murrelet really perked up. I am sure
> that it smelled the water and, after hearing the gulls, was sure it was home.
>
> I had to toss it about four feet and it was paddling before it hit
> the water. It swam for about 30 feet, surfaced, paddled on top of
> the water for ten feet, dove and surfaced two more times. Those
> little guys are really fast! It would be interesting to know how
> long it will take until it finds a group of Ancient Murrelets to hang
> out with.
>
> This is the most exciting experience I have had with a bird for a long time.
>
> By the way, the roads were in very good condition. We made it from
> REI to our house in two hours and 45 minutes.
>
> Denny Granstrand
> Yakima, WA
>
>
>
> * Denny Granstrand *
> * Yakima, WA *
> * dgranstrand at charter.net *
> * Denny's bird photos can be seen online at: *
> http://granstrand.net/gallery/
>
>
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