‘Bye Bye Birdie’ *

A Red-shouldered Hawk peers at freedom after mending at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center. Courtesy Photos/Zep Greenfelder

A crowd of some 40 to 50 people appeared to hold its collective breath as Hillary Russell Davidson of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC) released a juvenile Red-shouldered hawk back into the wild last Friday afternoon (Aug.11) near its former home in Flint Hill.

And quickly takes flight … Courtesy Photos/Zep Greenfelder

And the bird, hospitalized at the Center in Boyce since June 24, made it a quick getaway, streaking to the top of a nearby tree in just a few seconds. The crowd applauded, visibly exhaling then cheering for the raptor as it ruffled its feathers before disappearing over the tree line.

He was home!

Davidson, BRWC executive director, had driven him, in a dog carrier, the 30-odd miles from Boyce to the open space behind the Griffin Tavern at Flint Hill to release him. She explained the area was close to where Barbara and Jack Sharp of nearby Huntly, Va., had rescued the bird from a bunch of crows which, in typical fashion – for crows – were bullying the youngster and left him injured and unable to fly.

… to a nearby tree, where he got his bearings before taking wing to the southwest. Courtesy Photos/Zep Greenfelder

The following day, Aug. 12, the Center staff released another hawk to the wild.

The bird Davidson brought to Flint Hill, now big and strong enough – wing span about 36 inches – to get his own back on any crow that may in future challenge him, had been treated for six weeks by Center veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Riley. In fact, last year the Red-shouldered hawk was one of the most likely native birds to get itself into serious trouble. Riley treated 37 of them out of a total of 916 birds; his cousin, the Red-tailed hawk, also had a propensity for trouble among the larger raptors. Riley handled 46 of them over the same period.

Birds make up about half the sick and injured local wildlife that are admitted to the Center (1,827 patients in 2017) which is now approaching its third year in new, expanded, and state of the art quarters just off Route 50. If you wish to visit, the address is 106 Island Farm Lane, Boyce, VA 22620. Website: http://www.blueridgewildlifectr.org

* Author’s note: “Bye Bye Birdie” – Broadway musical, 1960.