Minton Farm

Minton Farm volunteers have been busy rehabilitating several birds of prey, namely Boobook owl, barn owl and peregrine falcon. Some have come in, in advanced stages of disease, eye damage and wing injuries.

The owls were all seen by an eye specialist Vet to determine the extent of damage to the eyes to assess viability and prognosis of each bird. One such bird is Mr Magoo, a Boobook Owl. He has two detached retinas and damage to the back of both eyes. The Vet believes it has been a long-term condition. It is believed the parents raised the owlet successfully in the nest but once it fledged from the nest it could not find its way back and the parents stopped feeding it. The bird was found sitting on the ground in the middle of a paddock and being a candidate for predation overnight it was collected. As the owlet had never had any sight, it is very calm and content with its lot, so the decision was made to care for it long term at Minton Farm.

Another bird, a peregrine falcon, is the fastest bird on earth, reaching 300kms/hr when in a dive to catch prey. This bird was found at Hahndorf with an injured wing which has been set with strapping for two weeks. The strapping has been removed and he is in a medium flight in preparation to go into the 12m x 6m Freedom Flight, completed at a cost of $60,000 this year. It is hoped he will have a full recovery and returned to his home territory once again.

Sadly we have been visited a couple times recently by a fox and have lost a number of our bantams and peacocks.

Cheers,
Bev. Langley
0422938439

www.mintonfarm.org
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