tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post5664416382281915370..comments2024-03-29T07:19:33.788-04:00Comments on Hawkwatch at the Franklin Institute: And then there was one....Della Micahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10576667998540106167noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-86530688440436892432011-06-23T19:31:14.952-04:002011-06-23T19:31:14.952-04:00Thank you so much for the photos and narrative. T...Thank you so much for the photos and narrative. The bug catching photos nearly had me snorting my coffee!Stacy Hurthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14590531650763481027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-27978942167837225922011-06-18T08:37:45.744-04:002011-06-18T08:37:45.744-04:00Mr. Blakeman, I have always respected you and the ...Mr. Blakeman, I have always respected you and the sharing of your expert information with us. I hope that the negativity of some of the comments will not keep you from further "educating" us about our special RTH family. Thank you so much!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-30809643866263843922011-06-17T23:00:52.562-04:002011-06-17T23:00:52.562-04:00Thank you, John Blakeman, for your comments. I no...Thank you, John Blakeman, for your comments. I now realize that bioethics is an important part of the decisions which all biologists must make. It seems so obvious now! Thank you for helping me/us learn so much about the hawks.Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10638482620549672547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-20626859200724306562011-06-17T21:54:28.771-04:002011-06-17T21:54:28.771-04:00As it happens, I am an advisor to 3 Ohio hawk reha...As it happens, I am an advisor to 3 Ohio hawk rehabilitation facilities and know quite well what's involved. I have no difficulties with either rehabbers or their facilities. I merely take a biological or ecological view; that the only animals that should be rehabbed are those that will subsequently have a high chance of survival in the wild. To return genetically or physiologically deficient specimens back to the wild, where they will eventualy come to a bad end anyway, is in my view not ethically responsible or good biology. Like it or not, it's survival of the fittest in nature, and not all specimens are "fit." FI #3 may be one of those less fortunate. I've seen the difficulties and bad ends that come to young hawks raised by humans, then "released" (even after a hacking period). These poor birds haven't a chance of ever gaining their own territories and surviving on to breeding age. Hawks in the best health and conditioning have only about a 20% chance of making it through their first year. Others, who have had to spend time in captivity for a period of time in a reduced state have things stacked against them. <br /><br />--John BlakemanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-5879908868728844692011-06-17T21:37:33.694-04:002011-06-17T21:37:33.694-04:00I, too, am also dismayed at the negative reaction ...I, too, am also dismayed at the negative reaction to JB's comments. Right now, our little eyass is receiving the best possible care. I would bet that Mr. Blakeman would agree that this hawk is being given his best chance for survival, all the while insisting that it cannot be guaranteed. As others have said, we cannot always have dominion over Nature.Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10638482620549672547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-52138712562473078192011-06-17T18:32:51.859-04:002011-06-17T18:32:51.859-04:00I read Mr. Blakeman's comments and never got t...I read Mr. Blakeman's comments and never got the feeling he was dissing rehabbers. I think everyone needs to calm down and let the experts handle this situation. I have had positive experience with rehabbers and I also respect Mr. Blakeman's information. It is very inappropriate to start some sort of turf war, over this situation. We all want this eyeass to survive and get to live her/his full Hawk life, but attacking others, especially experts, for sharing their information is not helpful and very inappropriate.CChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12653106775702366387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-12807609790306491282011-06-17T12:59:23.519-04:002011-06-17T12:59:23.519-04:00I think Mr. Blakeman is on-target. I don't th...I think Mr. Blakeman is on-target. I don't think he was implying that rehabbers just "sit and watch". I, for one, am fascinated and thankful for all you do. However, we must realize as JB said, that even nature can be cruel and I think he is merely preparing us (especially inexperienced hawk-watchers like me) for whatever may happen to the little eyeass #3.piptobierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02618985822378352578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-9796885944495264192011-06-17T12:50:17.680-04:002011-06-17T12:50:17.680-04:00Once again Blakeman shows his ignorance of what wi...Once again Blakeman shows his ignorance of what wildlife rehab entails. Rehab facilities do much more than just "feed" their intakes. While in rehab, birds are assessed AND TREATED for physical injuries, disease, etc., and are flight-conditioned and, if need be, taught to hunt so that they possess the survival skills they need once they're released back into the wild. Obviously, not all birds entering rehab will be released; nationwide, the average release rate for intakes of all species into wildlife rehab is about 50%. Still, those 50% who enter a rehab facility and are releasable have been given a second chance at life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-87315764030484159512011-06-17T12:28:41.348-04:002011-06-17T12:28:41.348-04:00Just a word about Mr. Blakemans comments: Wildlife...Just a word about Mr. Blakemans comments: Wildlife rehab centers are not in the business of interfering with nature nor would they consider releasing a hawk into the wild who is not fit and ready to hunt and live a full life as nature intended. His comments suggested that a rehab center might release a hawk in sub-par health, and that all that rehab clinics do is feed the animal and make sure it can fly.This is not the case. Although some sick or injured animals need only basic supportive care to recover, many raptor clinics are full hospitals with expert vets and rehabilitators on hand to treat a hawk's health. Mr. Blakeman is correct that there may be some genetic deficiency present and true, rehabilitators cannot test for that. But he painted a very simplistic and negative picture of what wildlife rehabilitator would do with a hawk like eyass number 3. They would not simply 'feed it, and see if it can fly'.<br /><br /><br />Second, Mr. Blakeman's comments seem to suggest that wildlife rehabilitators are interfering in nature, particularly in this situation. In fact, many wildlife rehabilitators believe that they are 'un-interfering', because most of the injuries and illnesses wildlife rehabbers treat are due to the animal world colliding with the human world's interference: birds crashing into windows, being killed by domestic cats, animals being hit by cars, poisoned, shot, etc. In this particular case, it is naive to think we are only watching 'nature'. This is the worst possible place for a Red Tail Hawk to grow up, over 25 lanes of heavy traffic. And they would not have done so, if the FI hadn't put up a box for them to build their nest in (when their original ledge nest building attempts failed). Who knows what other problems the hawks have or will encounter due to this environment.If there is a problem with this hawk, humans have contributed to it. And we have a duty to help fix it. The people charged with this responsibility are licensed wildlife rehabilitators.<br /><br />On the other hand, if the hawk cannot be rehabilitated, sometimes the best gift a wildlife rehabilitator can give to an animal is the right to euthanasia: if that animal will not live the full life it was intended to live then it may be best to give the animal the dignity of a quick, humane death than to prolong its life by any means when it will not be able to do the things it was born to do.Michele Wellardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-69495314764532968912011-06-17T08:53:08.504-04:002011-06-17T08:53:08.504-04:00So enjoying the photos and narrative of our hawks....So enjoying the photos and narrative of our hawks.... Thank you all so very much!!elisenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6105891964864613564.post-9373005573554727292011-06-17T07:11:26.264-04:002011-06-17T07:11:26.264-04:00Wonderful post, pictures,, dialogue and comments f...Wonderful post, pictures,, dialogue and comments from J. Blakemam who says it like it is and doesn't pull any punches. This is nature. We have been allowed to witness it. Thanks to everyone. Janet Wlodek aka colibri57Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com