Flyers, greys and a chippy!

This little cutie came in Friday to kick off the holiday weekend. He was found on the kitchen floor of a home. He was either brought in by the cat or simply found in the house by it. Luckily he was scooped up before any damage was done! No injuries and in pretty good health, he was sucking down formula like a pro by the end of the weekend. Lisa took over for me on Monday. She's got 2 boys the same age....now she's got triplets.

The number of squirrel residents has increased as well. A brother and sister found by Mike on the ground while on a walk are doing well. The boy had facial trauma and a bloody nose and the female had no visible injuries but was hunched over a little. The flies had already moved in to take advantage of them. After getting warmed up, re hydrated, giving them capstar and antibiotics, and  combing the fly eggs out of their fur, they have improved greatly and are eagerly eating formula.

Both are quite comfortable now! LOL

One more little boy came in last night. He and his litter mates had fallen out of a tree. Unfortunately for 2 of them they didn't get the proper care in time. Luckily a neighbor got the last little boy, Acorn, to me last night. They hadn't been on heat and I think the fact that the neighbor blasted the heat on him and rubbed him to warm him up on the way over may have brought him back from the brink! Nice job!!! He's not out of the woods yet....but now that he is warm and getting fluids he is perking up and  I think he's on the way to recovery.

The beginning of the weekend also brought a chippy into my care. He was found by a huge uprooted tree and suffered some serious trauma, (most likely as his den was uprooted as well), to his face and head. Both eyes were swollen shut and his nose is still a swollen, blood clogged mess. After 5 days of critical care, I am optimistic! He looked terrible when he came in and just based on looks, my instinct was to euthanize. However he was actually pretty active and no other major injuries were apparent as he moved around quite well. I decided to give him the night so I gave him some pain meds and fluids and decided to re-evaluate in the morning.

Well lo and behold didn't he seem a little better! Despite his face looking like a train wreck, he eagerly sucked down pedialyte and anything else I would be willing to feed him with a syringe.  Although he is an older juvenile or adult, he is eating formula and loving it. I think his mouth is too painful to eat solid food just yet, although he has attempted, so he just laps it off the end of the nipple. He's feisty, active, eating like a pig and grooming his face regularly. Both eyes have once again opened and look good. He's cleaned the dried blood, scabs and gunk off his face pretty well, also, and although his nose is still pretty clogged, he's breathing easier out of it. Once I get a better look at any damage to the inside of his mouth and teeth and see how well the eyes are working I'll be able to make a better decision on his prognosis. Now that he's wormed his way into my heart, I can only hope he continues to improve!

Outside my kitchen window....

On those very rare occasions, when I actually have a chance to sit at my kitchen table and check my emails while enjoying a much needed cup of coffee, (after the first round of feedings of course!) I keep my camera close. There is an amazing world going on out there... right outside my kitchen window!

Lots of baby birds following parents around begging to be fed....

As always, the fuzzballs the feeders were intended for....

....and those they were not intended for, but who insist on raiding....

Yup...even some of the girls are getting into the act! The high demand of their kits probably driving them to the high fat and protein bonanza to be found here.

Generally the coonies wait till dark so as not to ruffle the tails of the likes of this guy! The fox may have learned where the squirrels like to hang out, but the squirrels have learned to keep a guard on duty. Usually one of the older, more seasoned adults is standing sentry on the railing and I'm amazed at how sharp they are. One sound from the sentry and all those at the feeder head up to the top of the tree or the railings.....and wait until it is deemed safe. They have learned to head up and wait it out or exit under the thick cover of the bushes along the foundation around to the other side of the house. They know not to just run across the open yard now.

It's not often you see these guys fluttering from tree to tree like a little song bird....but in the spring, Mr. Wood duck is obediently following Mrs. Wood duck around as she searches for the perfect hollow to lay her eggs. He followed her around for about an hour this particular morning! LOL

There is an over abundance of these guys this year! I have never seen so many! I'm practically stepping on them as I walk through the woods.

And as always I am not able to linger and enjoy this relaxing show. Got a new guy in yesterday. He was found at an abandoned train station and an attempt to reunite for a night was unsuccessful. So the little boy named Pinner was brought here. He's in perfect shape...a very healthy, chunky little boy. He's comfortably settled in and sucking down his bottles like a pro. After his 2 week quarantine he'll be a perfect pal for Spencer who is still a loner since he's still a little too young to be in a bigger crate with any of the rest of the groups.

Right now everyone else is doing fine. Bama is eating and happy to be back with Springer and Chester. I'm thinking soon they will join Tumbler, Legend, Rizzoli and Isles as one big group. Just giving it a little more time to make sure no other problems break with any of them.......

A short term patient.

Got a call from a great kid who came across this unfortunate fella in the middle of a busy intersection in town. It was acting dazed and trying to run and falling over. He managed to scoop it up and get it to me.

(Yes they do come out during warmer periods over the winter, they are not true hibernators.)

Well by the time I got him and peeked in the box he was already making awkward attempts to jump out of the box. I set him up in a nice cozy cage to de-stress and rest for a while.

His exam showed him to be in great shape actually. No external injuries other than a swollen eye and all his limbs were working just fine. His body condition was great! He was most likely grazzed and stunned by a car during a sluggish trip above ground.

After a night of rest our little chippy was back to being alert and active and very quick! (and pooping and peeing fine as you can see!) No evidence of internal injures....good!

Fresh water and some yummy foods were eagerly consumed.
Then a nice hot pack for the closed eye and voila! Everything normal under there too!

I brought him back to the intersection where the kid found him to scope out a safe place to release him. I opted for the parking lot of a local ice cream shop that's got some yards and bushes around it. I opened the cage toward the direction I wanted him to go near some nice bushes, then he did an about face and proceeded to start to run the opposite way right across the open parking lot! Visions of him heading towards the road and getting squished right in front of me dancing in my head!
But no.....like it or not that ice cream store has it's resident chipmunk back! Because he knew exactly where to find that hole under the corner of the building.....he made a bee line right for it, no hesitation, no searching. He is home sweet home! Good luck little fella!

Insert warm fuzzy here! :)