Release the birds!

Trev's Eagle Scout project is drawing to a close.  He will release his remaining birds tomorrow morning on our property.  Here is the final outcome for the 100 chicks he started with.  (Click here for  the beginning of the project if you have no idea what I am talking about.)  FYI - the survival rate is about 30%.  Of course, we have no way to know how these birds will fare, but we are hoping to be on the high end of things. 

2 chicks died within the first two days. One of those wasn't well from the start

1 chick met an unfortunate demise when its head was snapped off by a critter (probably a fox) in the night.

1 chick was scared by something (probably the same critter) and tried to fly while it was in the run and crashed into a board, most likely breaking its neck.  This would be the chick Trevor stuck in the freezer in a ziploc bag and let me discover when he asked me for an ice cube!  Gross!!

1 chick made it through 2 nights on its own but died after Trev brought it back home because it had an injured foot.

2 chicks escaped and have stayed around the yard.  One got out while John was changing the water, or something like that, the other when they were being caught to transport for release.  They can often be found just pecking around the run.  Hanging out (on the outside) with their buddies.

The remaining 93 have been set free or will be tomorrow.  Trev let the first two batches go at a walking path on the edge of town.  There is a lot of bushes and ground cover for them to live in.  We have been out to check on the first batch, and found game trails they had made in just a day.  We also spied several of the birds and were happy to see they were still around.

Trev and John have both enjoyed the project, and it looks like there is another batch of chicks in our near future.  Trev has committed to raising another group and should get the chicks sometime in the second week of June.

Dick and Lorraine Hallisey with Trevor.  Dick has generously provided feed and wood chips for the chicks.  Lorraine collected roly-poleys (sp?) and took many pictures.  They came with us on both releases.  

This is John's favorite picture.  He loves how Trev got into the spirit of things and tried to model how to fly.

This is my favorite picture.  We spied this chick when we were on a walk Sunday to check on the birds.  They are pretty good at keeping themselves hidden already.

Trev only had to coax a few out of the cage the second release.  The birds just kind of moseyed out of the cage the first time.  Here is a good shot of Trev encouraging one of the lingerers on its way.

Most of the second group took off like this bird.  It was exciting to see them take off through the sky.