January 2006

LOG-BOOK:

News about the Bird-flu is printed in red !

New-Year’s-day 2006:  our Eastern Hedge-hog was this morning 710 gram (came in November 9th ’05 with 114 gram) and the White Barn Owl was 414 gram (was taken-back December 19th ’05 from the Barn Owl-aviary in “The Keep”). For us this day started at the normal time, because animals don’t know anything about a “New Year’s-hang-over” ! And after several hours on the computer (preparing monthly-reports & sending them; continuing with the Annual Report in 3 languages!) we still had some time to finish the last tiles we couldn’t do last year. Around 1 p.m. someone came and asked what we thought about the birds he had brought-in: the good fellow had brought yesterday a brace (?) of Greenfinches (in a small cage without food and/or water) and had put them in our car, but hadn’t informed us ! And we hadn’t used the car anymore after yesterday-morning! Result: 1 dead Greenfinch (a male), but the other is still quite lively ! Somewhat after 4.30 p.m. one of the village-youngsters, Mílto, arrived with his doggie. The dog had been “on the spree” for the last five days and he was walking now quite difficult. No fractures were discovered, but there was a skin-injury in the inside of the groin (not deep). Antibiotic-spray was used and advices were given about the necessary vaccinations. Not in the statistics. At 7.45 p.m. a phone-call from Polichnítos about a doggie (hit by a motor-car ?) with a leg-injury > will be brought-in tomorrow-morning.

January 2nd:  the Barn Owl was 408 gram and the Hedge-hog remained the same like yesterday. At 9.30 a.m. the dog arrived: an about 1-1,5 year old male, which resembled a lot with the dog “Yule” we took-in December 21st ’04 > the symptoms by the way were almost in proportion and the dog came as well from Polichnítos !! Both bearers had a look at our facilities as well. Further we could level the table-flap in the Food-hall (for the time being) and 2 of the 3 lettuce-trays were “build-in” into the cup-board. The 3rd still has to be done, but there is no old material anymore. At half past twelve 6 visitors from Mytiléne ( 3 children & 3 adults). Noticed in the siesta that the water-basin of the waterfall in the aviary is leaking > the polystyrene has cracked. Let’s have a look if we are capable to repair this tomorrow (but the basin must be complete dry first !). At 6.40 p.m. there came-in another dog ! So it seems to be farewell to our “quiet life”.

January 3rd:  the hedge-hog was, like before, 710 gram, while the Barn Owl had diminished again > 402 grams now. So at 6 a.m. we were force-feeding her. The “carrying-wings” of the table-flap are definitively replaced with better ones ( “derived” from scrap-wood from the old Barn Owl-Aviary in the Wildpark). They only should be painted. The whole back-wall from the cup-board (wherein the lettuce- & fruit-trays have found their places) had to be tiled > mice had already tried to go through the chip-board. The 3rd lettuce-tray is “build-in” as well; true, not with white-plastified chip-board, but with gray-painted plywood (“derived” from old cage-doors from the Wildpark). And white paint isn’t so expensive at all . . . . Even after midday people came from Plomári (and that’s more than 1 hour by car !!) with a white Tom-cat with a huge umbilical-hernia; however, the poor soul wasn’t “sober”, so ordered back next Sunday-morning. Our Vixen (05-117; June 15th ’05 with an eye-injury) hasn’t eaten anymore since yesterday-morning > this starts to cause us trouble !

January 4th:  the Eastern Hedge-hog was unchanged 710 gram, but the White Barn Owl had diminished a lot: 394 gram. Is going to be force-fed now again 3 times a day. Due to a changed food-supply (she received no more left-overs from the Hedge-hog & the Crows) the Vixen had eaten 2 bowls. The Hedge-hog as well received other food (no bread anymore). Tests showed that by the shot Collared Dove (05-243; December 10th) the right eye is definitively “gone”. If he/she still can see with the left one ?? There is a pupil-reflex, although a small one. The Rock-dove (05-247; December 26th ’05) with all those injuries on the left side, is going to be more and more “normal”. Further today hardly any activities in the “building-sector” due to a visit to the masseuse. Discovered at midday while feeding, that the White Barn Owl has a deformation at the under part of the bill, through which it wasn’t possible for her to eat > by clipping and cauterization tried to remedy this (in any case for the time being). Of course the dog with the fistula in the foot (see the 2nd dog) didn’t arrive > Greek Animal love ?? One should take some pains ??

January 5th:  the Hedge-hog was unchanged 710 gram and the White Barn Owl had (thanks to 3 force-feedings) gained 2 gram > 396 gram. One dog from the Shelter in Skála Eressoú came for castration > passed off without problems. The time before and after the surgery we used to make the first “carrying-wing” of the table-flap a little more less solid (should only be further given the finishing tough and painted). To the people of the Shelter in Skála Eressoú were given as well lots of bandages etc (we couldn’t store it any more !). One of them was for the first time over here and was showed around. In the evening a phone-call from Plomári about the white Tom-cat with the umbilical-hernia: if the surgery should be possible tomorrow, because everything should be closed due to Epiphany (a bank holiday over here) > so will come early tomorrow.

January 6th:  in spite of 3 times a day being force-fed, the White Barn Owls had diminished till 390 gram. The Hedge-hog however had eaten all his food (at last !) and was 730 gram. The Tom-cat arrived at 8.10 a.m. and one hour later the surgical team was sitting already with coffee: surgery succeeded. The “carrying-wing” we made yesterday, was finished & painted today. At 6.15 p.m. our Secretary María Kallipolíti arrived with the message that she “had seen a Fox, stuck in the wire”. The fox should be quite bitty (logical !!). So we prepared a total anesthetic, took gloves and a special pair of snips and off we were with the ambulance-car. The road was almost complete impassable after the last rain-showers & thunderstorms > everywhere holes & potholes and “free rocks”. On top of a steep sand-slope the fox was stuck with the right rear-leg completely in the netting and indeed, was quite bitty. See further by DOG-FOX.

January 7th:  the Dog-fox was quite wild this morning, but still had his bandage. The Barn Owl had gained some weight (396 gram) and the Hedge-hog had lost somewhat (720 gram), but we had to move him late last night from one cage to another, due to the lodging of the Dog-fox. We used the absence of Ineke to take back as well the fridge as the freezer from the nocturnal-place and put them on their right place in the Food-hall. Now this place is almost ready.

January 9th:  the Dog-fox still hadn’t eaten early in the morning (he drank a lot of water). The Hedge-hog had gained weight (750 gram) and the Barn Owl had diminished this time (392 gram). In the Food hall some “finishing touches” were done with a brush & paint. Further made ready for sending & send the Annual Report: in total 236 addressees.  And all this took several hours (sic !) > expired e-mail-addresses were a spoil-sport and the Greek provider can’t handle so many addresses ! So the whole stuff came back and back !! And after that we were friendly “rapped on the knuckles” > we hadn’t mentioned an important Dutch co-operation ! We found that with all those “copy & paste” just that part had disappeared. So the result was that we had to send an ERRATUM to all the Dutch addresses (192 !) And some people think that, what we are doing here, is a hobby ! All this took an important part of our siesta. In the evening we were burned-out.

January 9th:  it seemed the Dog-fox had eaten a little bit. The Hedge-hog had increased with 5 gram, but the Barn Owl is spewing all the time the given food, so lost 2 gram. At 11.30 a.m. we had the floor of the Intensive Care / Nocturnals complete re-tiled with the same tiles we had done already on the other floors. Before this was done, the floor over there was indeed tiled, but with “left-overs” from other odd jobs. The dreaded Bird-Flu is coming closer and closer > now already in Constantinople > so wait & see !!

January 10th:  the Dog-fox had been able to free himself last night out of his cage and was free in the Intensive Care > quite some damage to the netting !! Only with a lot of persuasiveness ( a net !) we could bring him back to his cage. The Hedge-hog was 770 gram and the Barn Owl (really !!) 394 gram. And if one is planning to visit us this year, and one doesn’t recognize us at once, look for an “African couple” > after al we could read the following on the news on www.nu.nl :

Greece six meter closer to  Africa due to earthquake

Edited:  January 9th  2006 4.46 p.m.   Last change: January 9th  2006 4:47 p.m.

ATHENS – Due to an heavy earth-quake with a force of 6,9 on the scale of Richter,  Greece came six meter closer to North-Africa. Every year the so called Greek shelf is dragging 4 cm to the south, but due to the quake the movement is extra large.

 

At 10.15 a.m. a phone-call from an acquaintance of us (from the ELIN-Petrol-station on the road to Mytiléne) about a horse that should have a broken jaw (??) and that was bleeding. Told them, that for such cases the Agrotikí Stégi was the best equipped solution > they had already phoned them, but the Vet over there could only come at 1 p.m. In spite of that, told them they had to wait for the Vet. At 10.45 a.m. the (somewhat mentally handicapped) sun was here in the court-yard > we had to come. Again told that the Vet from the Agrotikí Stégi should arrive at 1 p.m.  In the meanwhile we were busy over here tiling the doorsteps in the Zoökomío and trying to find a solution for the behavior of the Dog-fox. The doorstep to the Intensive Care is done, and as well a (maybe) solution for the fox. Further we gathered next message from the Internet:

As well Bird-flu in Turkish  holiday resort

Edited:  January 10th   2006 10:13 a.m.   Last change:  January 10th  2006  1.41 p.m.

ISTANBUL (named over here Constantinople – note  LWH) – As well on the Aegean coast of Turkey (south-west) bird-flu is diagnosed by poultry. The virus turned up in the city of Kusadasi, a popular holiday resort  (this is opposite the island of Samos, and there is only a very small part of sea in between !! – note  LWH)  In and around the city all poultry is killed as a precautionary measure, reported  Tuesday the press-agency Anatolia.

January 11th:  the Dog-fox had been quite active last night, but luckily hadn’t destroyed anything. Real eating however hasn’t yet happened. The Bar Owl is now diminishing quite a lot (in spite of 3 times a day being force-fed) was 382 gram > we are at our wits’ end now. The Hedge-hog on the contrary had eaten well and was 790 gram. For the first time we had to use in “The Keep” the air-conditioning as a heating: the temperature over there was fallen till + 4 degrees centigrade ! In the Zoökomío the same apparatus is working as well, but over there only as a secondary one > the Central Heating kept the temperature over there already on +10 degrees

centigrade.  Further we had to visit the masseuse again, so hardly any building-activities: only the door from the Food-hall to the Sick-bay is made fitting for the doorstep-tiles.

By means of the village-loudspeaker-system the announcement came that ALL POULTRY should be locked-in and that those enclosures should be covered from above.

In any case the Dog-fox had played during the day with the given “Royal Canin-biscuits”.

January 12th:  real eating the Dog-fox didn’t do till now on, but there was produced as well droppings as urine. Both the Hedge-hog and the Barn Owl stayed the same qua body-weight. Thanks to the preliminary work of yesterday the doorstep to the sick-bay was done at 8.55 a.m. And after breakfast the doorstep to the Surgery was ready as well at 10.25 a.m.; including the shortening of the door. Hereafter some maintenance was done (re-jointing) with the last rest of the tile-adhesive. In the evening at 8.30 p.m. we suddenly heard the sound of a sheep-bell under our window > we first thought about a “got lost creature”, and that one we should be able to lodge for the night. In astonishment however we discovered a whole flock of more than 50 “heads” . . . .  and without a shepherd and/or shepherd-dog of course !! Only with a lot of efforts from our side we could persuade the to leave our street; now on their way to . . . . ??

January 13th  (Friday !!):  the Dog-fox had been quite active last night, but he had eaten !! (and watered and relieved himself, but as well destroyed a full 1,5 liter water-bottle, so the mess was complete !!) The Barn Owl was 380 gram (so diminished a bit), but the Hedge-hog was 790 gram. And to complete the story from yesterday-evening (about the sheep): at 8.15 a.m. we received a phone-call from the Limenarchío (Coast-Guard) in Mytiléne about “a horse that’s running free in the Prokiméia (the street around the harbor) > if we could come and catch the horse . . . . !!”  As well in this situation we didn’t came in action ourselves, but only gave some phone-numbers > in a “macho-city” like Mytiléne there are enough horse-lovers who can manage this. At the start of the tidying-up of the Sick-bay we discovered that several pieces above eye-level still had to be tiled > in the past (last winter) we stopped there due to the extreme cold, lack of adhesive etc > so now continued. Heard that the horse from January 10th (see over there) was treated well > (of course) there was no fracture, but 4 broken teeth (in seems that the horse likes to fight . . . . !! EXTRA glad we didn’t go over there!) In the siesta a phone-call from an English lady from Kámbos Eressoú (in between Skála Eressoú en Eressós) about a white cat with (probably) Cat-flu > as good as possible advices were given. Her Greek husband was as frightened as hell about the possibility that Bird-flu could spread to cats as well > it seems that there was an article in  “National Geografic” about Tigers in Thailand, which had been fed with dead chickens (died from Bird-flu ??) > ALL Tigers had died. As good as possible reassured, because since when are cats eating grown-up chickens ??

Around 5 p.m. an injured (cat-bite) Chaffinch arrived.

January 14th:  the Chaffinch was discovered dead at 5.05 a.m.  The Barn Owl had diminished again: 378 gram, while the Hedge-hog as well went back: 765 gram. At 11.45 a.m. we were ready with almost the last tiling; what still should be done, can only be done when we’re ready with the finishing of the last cage-wall (drilling etc.). Around 5 p.m. a (quite) young cat with a severe eye-injury.

January 15th:  our Dog-fox had (for the first time) eaten and emptied his whole bowl!! The new Cat is starting today with Antibiotics; she is eating well and is using the cat-toilet if she never has done it on another place. And such a behavior for a stray one !! The Barn Owl had diminished again 2 gram, but seemed to have eaten a little bit by herself. The Hedge-hog has gained weight and was 785 gram. During the weekly clean-up of the cage of the Dog-fox he remained quiet in his sleeping-hole; with interest watching what was happening. All our fingers came back intact from this “operation”. Hereafter the whole morning busy with the printing and making ready for shipment the Annual Reports (for those people without an e-mail-address).

After being announced January 11th that ALL poultry should be locked-in, the owner of the back-yard took them in just today. And when he left, there were in his pick-up truck several bags with poultry > he had simply killed them !! We witnessed this from a window of our house. The “poultry-not-alive-anymore” were those we were feeding every morning the left-overs of lettuce etc.

Because the little Cat taken-in yesterday, is indicating that she has pain, and because the eye-bulb seems to goggle more and more, is decided to perform the extirpation tomorrow.

January 16th:  the eye of the cat has progressively goggled the last 24 hours ! The Dog-fox had eaten well again. As well the Barn Owl as the Hedge-hog had diminished; respectively they were now 372 and 775 gram. With success we could perform the surgery on the cat > under an anesthetic it showed to be a young Tom-cat and not a female. Because we couldn’t perform a good examination before (he was too restless due to the pain) we only could see it now . And he showed to be shot !!

Again an announcement came through the village-loudspeaker-system, with 4 items one should take good notice of, concerning poultry. We asked & received a copy of this announcement. One of those items is the immediate rapport of suspected cases to a Vet > should the owner of our back-yard have “embezzled” yesterday this kind of cases ?

A phone-call from Eftaloú about a young cat, which came in heat > is coming Friday 20th for de-mothering.

January 17th:  the Dog-fox is steadily busy “making alterations” to his cage > when he is set free, the whole cage must be re-constructed (netting etc.) ! As well the door from the Sick-bay to the Intensive Care should be renovated > he is biting/scratching everything into pieces!! The Hedge-hog was 5 gram plus, while the Barn Owl was 4 gram minus. The whole morning busy with the cleaning of the tiles and with the clearing away of the sick-bay. As well a mouse-glue-trap was made for the Food-hall: it seems that one mouse (or more mice ?) has ensconced itself in the isolation of the fridge. And the whole space is now so well closed, that what’s in, can’t get out anymore.

Our (somewhat pigheaded and somewhat elderly) neighbor still has chickens free in his back-yard and that place isn’t covered from above!! So we made a copy of the announcement (see yesterday) and put this on his car (with the most important items clearly marked with yellow > may be he’ll notice what kind of risk he is running but as well others).

January 18th:  the little Tom-cat isn’t doing quite well. The Hedge-hog had diminished a lot (hadn’t eaten so well) and was 755 gram. The Barn Owl however had eaten by herself and was now 384 gram. The ice was thick on the car early this morning. The Dog-fox has bitten a huge hole in the netting of his cage > is quite dangerous now to enter there. Due to the visit to the masseuse no further activities today, except for making the Archive of the L.W.H. more “decent” and “well organized”.

January 19th:  it was such a heavy weather this morning, that none of the dogs even thought about going out for their “sanitary stops” > even Humpy (normally spoken not afraid for what kind of weather whatsoever) looked around, turned himself and came in again. So we can expect lots of “annoyances” inside. The Dog-fox has enlarged the hole in the netting quite a lot ! The little Tom-cat Sjemó is sniveling “everywhere”, but the goggling of his left eye doesn’t seem to enlarge. The Barn Owl was 375 gram and the Hedge-hog 750 gram.

This morning we contacted the Veterinary Inspection in Mytiléne about the “not-locking-in of poultry” > it seems they are everywhere busy with controlling and fining, only there are absolutely too less people for this !! What a country, what a country !! And the world-wide catastrophe is knocking on the doors !!

Further, due to the celebration of our marriage-day, kept a bit a “low profile” > only making the telephone-system in the kitchen more “up-to-date” > quite a “Houdini-job” concerning the working-poses.

January 20th:  the little Tom-cat Sjemó is eating more and more difficult > logical, because he can’t hardly smell anymore. So is an extra source of anxiety ! The Hedge-hog is eating as well quite badly the last days and was this morning 735 gram. The Barn Owl on the contrary is climbing up from the depths and was this morning 388 gram. The little cat from Eftaloú came around 8 a.m. and was ready at nine. At the arrival of this little “Tiger” (and the showing the two bearers what we did last months) we noticed that we had forgotten to tile the second lighting-shaft in the Sick-bay > so after breakfast we gathered the tiling-tools and continued “merrily”.

For the umpteenth time there was announced via the village-loudspeaker-system that poultry should be locked-in, and again there was the threat with punishments. In spite of that the chickens of our neighbor are still walking free in his open garden.

It is understood that a cold-weave in coming in our direction with temperatures of –11 degrees centigrade > so tomorrow filling-up the water-deposit and taking other measures.

January 22nd:  the Hedge-hog is feeling the change in temperature and is eating only a bit: was 740 gram. The Barn Owl had diminished a bit and was 384 gram. The situation with the Tom-cat “Sjemó”  is the same as yesterday. The car was at 5 a.m. covered under thick ice. We now have 59 bottles of 1,5 liter (= 88,5 liter) as reserve for us, and the water-deposit in the apothíki is filled with almost 300 liter (for the animals, flushing the toilet, washing the dishes etc.) When it’s starting to be real cold, only emptying the waterworks and both “water-clocks” and covering that whole. With real ice-cold feet continued with the tiling of the 2nd lighting-shaft in the Sick-bay. The Greek “Annual Reports” came back from the “censor” and (very, very capable, Ineke !!) hardly anything had to be corrected !! Those made ready for printing and for sending.

The short-sightedness of the Greek is shown in the best way by the owner of the back-yard: had this man locked-in all his poultry January 15th (and killed several of them), this afternoon the door was open again and the whole “flock” was free outside again; of course WITHOUT a covering from above. So it took him probably too long (all those bothering without happening something) and in his eyes therefore the danger is passed . . . .

At the evening-feeding-round we discovered, that a scab with lots of hair had loosened from the injury. As well we discovered some bright-red blood-drops on the floor. Because we can’t examine the leg (he is too wild and too bitty), we only can see this as a good omen.

January 22nd:  the whole condition of the little Tom-cat Sjemó is far from optimum; the pupil of the left eye however is reacting again on light. In the cage of the Dog-fox lots of fresh blood-drops were discovered on the floor > he cleaned the floor himself ! The Hedge-hog was 730 gram and the Barn Owl 370 gram. At 6.50 a.m. discovered in the Pigeon-aviary in “The Keep” a quite bad injured juvenile > taken-out and registered as a new patient.

The owner of the back-yard, Yiánnis (who indeed locked-in yesterday-evening his poultry again), set free the whole flock this morning at 8 o’clock. “In his opinion it was so pitiful that they had to be locked-in the whole day; a bit of fresh air they need !” When him was told that it should be even more pitiful when the whole flock should be “cleared” due to the Bird-flu, his reaction was: “Oh yes, how is that developing ?” And further he asked if “we should have rain, because if not, he should go to the olives”. And off he went, and the poultry is still free outside . . . . .  !! For the rest we heard from the village of Paleochóri (from a Dutch friend of us) that the situation with the “free-roaming poultry” the same is as over here . . . . 

A little bit of tiling could be done today in the last lighting-shaft > quite difficult, because the air-conditioning-apparatus is in de way and there is hardly space in between this apparatus and the opposite wall. The weather-conditions became worse and worse during the day.

January 23rd:  the undulated roof-parts on top of the Sick-bay are flapping heavily in the wind and the same is the case with the metal ones on top of the cages!! In the cage of the Dog-fox no blood-drops were discovered this morning > a good omen ?? The Barn Owl was 392 gram this morning but the Hedge-hog was 725 gram. The tom-cat Sjemó is still giving concerns quite a lot; in spite of that he is more and more active. The iron undulated roof of the Falcon-aviary ripped-off in the storm-wind (there are no ferries at the moment and as well we didn’t hear any airplane this morning) and had to be fastened again to prevent further damage > an ice-cold and quite risky job! According to the weather-forecast on the internet it will start snowing on the island this afternoon . . . . . In any case, we have secured ourselves against such kind of problems by elaborate precautions: shopping this morning quite a lot > as well for us as for the animals we have now one week reserve. At 10.45 a.m. we were ready with the tiling of the last lighting-shaft. At 1 p.m. a phone-call from the Shelter in Eressós > if the weather isn’t worsening next Friday 2 castrations: 1 Dog and 1 Tom-cat. At 3.15 p.m. the first (small) snowflakes came howling-on; the wind is indeed so cold, that the temperature in the living is almost 16 degrees Centigrade, and the central-heating is burning on full capacity !! The wind is so strong, that House-sparrows (eating seeds on the street) were lifted-up and pressed against a fence !! In the “House-next-door” we had to close complete the last shutter (being open for half a foot to give some light to the Scop’s Owl over there) > the wind was so squally, that the whole window-frame started to come loose ! By the way: the wind is 9 – 10 Beaufort !! Our Vice-Chairman, Eléni Galinoú, was in a radio-program on the island here and should have told a lot about us and our work > only, we couldn’t receive that station > so the more’s the pity!

January 24th:  not slept well for half the night due to the flapping & bumping of a knocked loose shutter > several times left the warm bed and checked everything; without any results. At 5.15 a.m. it showed to be the last closed shutter of the “House-next-door”; was completely ripped of the lock controls ! So a repair at day-light. The Dog-fox has “disposed” himself of a obviously dead part of his leg: this morning (for the first time) we could see the leg. He has performed the amputation and the injury is clean. The dead part he must have eaten, because we haven’t discovered anything. Now wait and see how it will heal. In nature he can hold his’ own with such a handicap; only mating will be a little bit more “unstable” !! The Barn Owl was 380 gram and the Hedge-hog 735 gram. In our mail-box came a audio-version of the radio-broadcast of yesterday > let’s see when we can find the time to listen it. After the breakfast we started to make the living a little bit mote animal- & human-friendly qua temperature. So looking for chinks and filling them. Doing so, we had to remove a base-board and behind this was a complete “Whipsnade-concentration” of mice-nests ! As well we could see the day-light right through the wall ! The work was done only just, with great trouble. Due to the back-pain we had to stop, but the first work gave already an improvement from 14 to 16 degrees centigrade. At 11.15 a.m. it started snowing again. In the siesta twice telephone from Mytiléne (one from a Vet over there, and one from the “possessor”) about a Pigeon with a dislocated wing. Due to the weather-conditions (the “Table-mount” opposite our house one can’t even see due to the blizzard, and it’s becoming more and more white) the potential delivery is postponed in any case till tomorrow.  Because of the blizzard one disabled Hooded Crow was taken-back in.

January 25th:  after yesterday-evening about one hour without electricity (so as well without Central Heating !) we woke-up this morning in a “white world”, and that not only outside the house !! The blizzard had entered almost everywhere!  What will happen today with the Pigeon from Mytiléne ??  With the whole night the Central Heating burning (as well against frozen water-works) it was in the living early this morning 17 degrees centigrade ! Read on the Internet (Dutch Newspaper “De Volkskrant”):

A freighter in the Aegean Sea with a crew of seventeen got into difficulties due to the hard wind. Efforts to rescue the crew with helicopters didn’t succeed yet. Due to the slipperiness in Greece hundreds of motorists had to spend the night in their vehicles. The snow-covered Acropolis in Athens is closed for tourists due to the slipperiness. Many flights in Greece, but as well in Poland and Bulgaria are cancelled because of blizzards.

Trying to enter the “House-next-door” we were confronted with an immense bank of snow, behind the door (in the house) !! Today trying to prevent those problems. But we can’t use the main entrance anymore. The injury of the Dog-fox is looking better and better; he only doesn’t allow taking pictures > apparently hates posing like poison ! The Barn Owl was 371 gram and the Hedge-hog 740 gram. Heard by phone, that the “possessor” of the Pigeon will try to bring the Pigeon herself  . . . . !! She took it till the first up-hill corner on the road to our village > there she went off the road. We had to call for help from someone with a 4 x 4 to pick-up the bird and to help her on the road again !! The roads in the village however make so hard going, that  even the 4 x 4 didn’t make it to reach the Hospital > so the Pigeon was brought in (slippery) by foot ! Two hours after we removed the snow inside the “House-next-door” we could do it again !! But now we screwed a piece of wood outside the door just above the door-step > maybe it helps ! The water-works in that house are frozen. After the sun had been shining for some hours, the street in the afternoon around four o’clock was just the skating-ring in Lake Placid; only with one-way traffic > down-hill !! We noticed later that the floating ice/water came from a bursted water-pipe at the end (above) of the street. We have tried to reach the owner, but the good man is perilous injured taken to the Hospital in Mytiléne (will probably be transferred to Athens !). Was some days ago shot-down in the village (his son was shot dead !) in a quarrel concerning a piece of land !! Because there are still sheep in the field at the broken water-pipe (and they aren’t fed as well for some days !) we have tried to “organize” some help  > one will see what one can do, but . . . . one has other things on their mind at the moment !

January 26th:  the street is complete a skating-ring now > only with “props under the shoes” one can walk over there ! Let’s hope neither we, nor another must be in this street ! The Barn Owl had gained weight: 385 gram, but the Hedge-hog had diminished till 720 gram. Our token measures to reach a better “climate” in the living resulted in a temperature of (sometimes already) 19 degrees centigrade !! The pecked juvenile Pigeon (06-101; January 22nd ’06) was discovered dead at the first feeding-round (7 a.m.). At the same time it started snowing again and the street started to be real perilous !  In the “House-next-door” the water-bowl of the Scop’s was covered with a thick piece of ice > not even breakable by hand  > the snow is there in the cage !!

On the Internet we could read, that  the “Dutch Society for Birds Protection” has an own view on the spread of the Bird Flu > NOT the migratory birds are responsible, but the transport of contaminated meat !

At 10.50 a.m. a phone-call from Skála Kallonís about an injured duck; the man has snow-chains, so he will try to come by car as close as possible. At 11.40 a.m. he brought a Teal > walking up the street, because even with snow-chains it was impossible. At this moment it’s thawing like hell . . . . !! Thanks to that, but as well thanks to the removal of again 4 meters of base-board and filling the holes, it’s now in the living 20 degrees Celsius ! So at last we took off our coats !! The frozen water-pipe of the “House-next-door” we discovered bursted after the siesta > luckily hardly any damage.

January 27th:  the street is still a skating-ring > even the dogs have problems with “their-legs-going-everywhere”. The Barn Owl had eaten well and was 388 gram. The Hedge-hog was 725 gram. The Teal was very weak and died in our hands. After the cleaning of the cages first the two of us have tried with pix-axes to damage the centimeters-thick ice-field in the street. Doing so, as well our legs went suddenly “everywhere” > doesn’t feel so nice !! The drainage-pipe of the Sick-bay from the outside was a thick column of ice. At 9 a.m. a phone-cal from Lársos about an “Eagle-owl” in a bad condition > he wanted to bring the bird himself. At 9.30 a.m. he was at the lowest point of the street and with him we tried to climb the street > that took almost 8 minutes !! It showed te be a White Barn Owl, in a very bad condition ( hadn’t eaten for at least) two days. Again we were without electricity for one hour (and of course without Central Heating), and as well the water-pressure failed !! In spite of that again a base-board was removed and the opening was filled. Almost at 1 p.m. the two of us had made the whole street ice-free, including the turning-off of 3 bursted water-pipes > the Municipality had been “too wretched” to do so, in spite of several requests from people in our street !! Hereafter we checked the new Barn Owl > was dead. In the siesta a phone-call from Pétra about a smaller bird-of-prey, that should be over there (injured) but which couldn’t be caught. In view of the damages to our bodies, caused by as well the falling-down as by the ice-picking, agreed that we should contact the man tomorrow > today in any case we can’t leave anymore, because even normal walking is hardly possible . . . .  At 4.35 p.m. the fisherman Níkos in our yard > again a “duck”. Showed to be a Shelduck, and this species we have never had before. He was very disappointed, the Teal hadn’t made it (by the way, we as well).

January 28th:  the street was, in spite of the frost of last night, ice-free !! The Shelduck was vivacious (but hadn’t eaten yet); the Hedge-hog was 720 gram and the Barn Owl (had eaten again) was 388 gram. We phoned the family in Pétra about the “birdie-of-prey”:  they hadn’t yet seen the bird, because no-one had put his nose outside the door yet > so . . . . wait and see. And we were able to depart at 8 a.m.  After cleaning the cages continued with the base-boards in the living: that’s finished now. Hereafter only the hall is on the program. All this wasn’t only necessary against the cold, but as well because in the near future the whole floor will be renewed: Laminate (the present lino is completely destroyed by the dogs & cats). At 1.10 p.m. a phone-call from Pétra: the bird was “spotted”. No lunch, but at once “on the road”. At 1.30 p.m. we were at the meeting-point and from there we were guided. In the midst of a field was sitting a Goshawk; evidently couldn’t fly well. Apart from that, well enough to reach a tree in the midst of an immense blackberry bush (not burning) > where to make a start entering this ?? At last with the help of a, teared out of the ground traffic sign (sic !), we could “persuade” the bird to leave her high roost. What followed was a mad run over fences, under railings and through bushes > at last we could put a net over her head on the roof of a shed. We think, we’re in the meantime a little bit tóó “matured” for this kind of “assault-course-practices” !! It took 5 minutes of normal walking to reach the street again. On our way back somewhere there was an overturned tank-lorry on the road; no-one could pass > so backwards, slipping alongside banks of snow till the first corner, where we could turn the car. Back to the junction to Stípsi and further in that direction. Here still the snow was thick and not every road over there is a concrete road . . . . . nice gliding. At last at 3.10 p.m. back on base. In the meantime a shot (we noticed later) Cirl Bunting was brought-in. That one we discovered dead the same evening at 9.30 p.m.

January 29th:  the Shelduck had eaten well and was 805 gram (came-in with 810 gram, but hadn’t eaten for one day). The Hedge-hog was 745 gram and the Barn Owl 382 gram. The Goshawk (a quite calm one for this species) had gained weight yesterday with 30 gram: came-in with 805 gram and was this morning 835 gram. At 8 a.m. the boiler suddenly leaked lots of hot water and stopped “living” > so no warm water in the kitchen anymore !! The Central Heating is still working. Luckily one of us saw the “Municipal Plumber” who should repair for the Municipality a bursted water-pipe. We helped the good guy by a difficult part of the job and asked him afterwards to have a look at our boiler. More than half an hour later the problem was fixed (and that for only Euro 15 !!). He as well looked after our lodging and the animals. As well from Mytiléne came the lady of the Pigeon (see January 25th) with her husband to see everything. At 5.10 p.m. we suddenly heard bleating outside the front-door > an “orphaned”  sheep-lamb was there, begging for care. No-one in the neighborhood is evidently missing the poor soul . . . .  So we asked our neighbor Yiánnis if we could “lodge for the night” this baby with his goats > was OK. Only, the little one at once crept under the fence and followed us !! So a bottle with milk was prepared and (for the night) lodged in the kitchen of the house-next-door. And a Pigeon was taken-back from “The Keep” > couldn’t stand (any more) on it’s legs.

January 30th:  the taken-back Pigeon was still alive. Looking in our archives we discovered it was 05-093; came-in May 28th ’05 after being picked-up in a cafeteria in Mytiléne. The Shelduck was 865 gram, the Barn Owl  386 and the Hedge-hog was 735 gram. Top-of-the-list is, however, the Goshawk > she was 905 gram. So she gained weight with 100 gram after intake. During the first bottle-feeding the Lamb showed to be a young male. He was called for by the overjoyed owner (an elderly woman with an immense moustache) at 9.10 a.m. From a supporter of us (a Fire brigade-officer in Holland) we received 4 Walky-talkies > they were “over-complete” after the whole communications-system in Holland was renewed. Those should have been wonderful by the rescue-operation of the Goshawk! But there will be circumstances in the future where we can use those. At 4.05 p.m. a phone-call from Mytiléne > some-one had already yesterday discovered in a olive-field in Mória an injured Buzzard in bad condition. Wasn’t able to fly. Agreed we should met at the olive-factory over there. At arrival the man must be called from Mytiléne . . . . hadn’t thought we should come today, although we had agreed. At last the good man came and we could drive to his field, but . . . . . he had forgotten to take the keys with him !! So we had to climb over a fence (when an old man of 75 is capable to do so, we can’t stay behind, can we ??). It was more than 1 hectare and no Buzzard was to be seen “and I had put him here in the sun this morning, and he can’t fly . . . .”  That a bird is capable to walk he never had thought-about ! At last the bird was spotted. On our way back the car started to have problems > no “power” anymore. In the L.W.H. the situation of the Buzzard showed to be a mess (see over there).

January 31st:  was the Buzzard yesterday-evening still laying on the floor, this morning he was standing on its legs. But he seems to have some problems with one leg as well. Had gained weight from 640 to 670 gram. The Hedge-hog was 740, the Goshawk was 960, the Shelduck 840 and the Barn Owl 368 gram. The latter had one feeding-round less yesterday.

Total amount of visitors this month:  13                                   (total this year: 013)

Kinds of animals who are mentioned like this were for the first time in treatment in the L.W.H.   

Amount of kilometers (Animal-Ambulance) for bringing-in/releasing animals this month 137 (total this year 0137 kilometers)

Total amount of intakes this month: 18 [wild ones: 11; others 7], (total this year 018 > : wild ones 011, others 007; total since the start of registration in 1996: 3262),  of which:

GREENFINCH (Carduelis chloris): 1 (of two) adult bird from the surroundings of our village (see New Year’s-day) > observation. Is either an adult female or a juvenile male > in any case is missing the whole tail.

DOG (Canis familiaris) 3; the first from Polichnítos (see January 2nd).  The right pulse was swollen (no fractures, so only a bandage was given) and he could hardly stand on both rear-legs. The reflexes were OK (as well both legs as the tail). Advised to give the dog some days of rest and to see further afterwards. The 2nd came from this village and had been over here several times last year with foot-injuries due to penetrated grass-seeds. Now he had a fistula on the left rear-leg in between two toes, and that resembled a lot with those injuries > only: there aren’t any of those grass-seeds anymore on this moment !! The muscle of the thigh was very swollen (rear-side) just above the knee and the dog was as well very anemic as bone-thin ! We gave antibiotics (Amoxycyline) as tablets and the dog is coming back every 2nd day for treatment of the fistula (see January 4th). The 3rd came from the Shelter in Skála Eressoú to offer his “crown-jewels. “Shadow” left without some important parts, but waggling with his tail.

TOM-CAT (Felis catus): 1 white, long-haired specimen from Plomári,  “Fívos” with quite a huge (3 cm) hernia umbilicalis. In exactly 23 minutes this fault was remedied by a “herniotomie interna”.

DOG-FOX (Vulpes vulpes): 1 pretty adult animal, discovered on the sandy road from the former Wildpark to the Salines. Was stuck with the right rear-leg completely in the netting and wire. Luckily the head was on the other side of the netting and we were able (by catching the left rear-leg) to inject the anesthetic (50 IU Domitor, 50 IU Ketamine). After about six minutes the creature started to fall asleep and we could start cutting the wire. The normal wire wasn’t so difficult, but there was twisted wire as well. Even with the special pair of snips it was hard to destroy that. At last, after 10 minutes of hard labour, we had him (we noticed then) free and we could remove all cut pieces of wire. Descending the sand-slope the loose underground suddenly went of with us and we landed stumbling / slipping / falling some meters down on the road, but still with the sleeping Fox firmly in the arms. At arrival in the L.W.H. we couldn’t find any fractures; only skin-injuries. We treated the injuries with Dermisol-cream.

The last we did was removing a huge part of twisted wire from around the loin and that showed to be the loop of a snare. Late in the evening we injected Antisedan, because he still was under an anesthetic. See further in the LOG-BOOK.

CHAFFINCH (Fringilla coelebs): 1 adult female from our village; quite seriously injured by a cat: is missing almost all big feathers on the right wing, is injured on the right side of the head and has a deep bite-injury on the right side of the pelvis. Antibiotics and let’s hope she’ll make it. Next morning discovered very cold, very stiff and very dead.

CAT (Felis catus): 1 quite young specimen, somewhere out of the fields around our village. Was discovered last year as a stray, and is fed regularly over there (together with other cats), but she is bone-thin because there is no check on how much every cat is eating. Came in with a severe injury right eye > eye is goggling complete and is for sure destroyed (pus was already appearing !).  So first pepping her up a bit and thereafter as soon as possible an eye-extirpation (removal of the complete eye-bulb). Greek Vets don’t do anything in such a case, because they don’t know how to handle !! (they say easily: “is going to die in any case, so why should we do something !!” ). Because of the living-conditions of this little girl, she will almost sure remain over here. At the surgery it showed indeed to be a young Tom-cat! The next two pictures are showing the situation before the surgery: the huge goggle and the shot-hole

and after the surgery.

In the afternoon the little rogue was eating already and in the evening he has “re-socialized” in our living for some hours. Due to a reaction of the left eye, this organ is from now on treated with Cavasan-cream (replacement for the “old” CAF-cream). He received the name “Sjemó” > an anagram for “Mosjé” (the other ginger-and-white Tom-cat with as well only one eye; only the other one). The 17th in the afternoon we discovered that the left eye is starting to goggle as well, and that the pupil is very wide; even by bright day-light !! The stitches were removed January 26th. The next picture shows how the situation was on January 31st.

CAT (Felis catus): 1 (this time a real) female from Eftaloú > came for “de-mothering” and so was done. In the afternoon we received an e-mail with the message that “Tiger” was doing well.

PIGEON (Columba livia dom.): 2;  the first a juvenile, born out of the eldest couple of Pigeons we have here (the Brown ones) > discovered early in the morning on the bottom of the cage, peeping plaintive. Was quite bad injured (among others on the head) > pecked ?? By better light and under more quiet circumstances the bird was examined later: has left the nest too early (isn’t yet able to fly) and probably came in the neighborhood of a breeding adult (the same who had “cannibalized” in the past a huge mouse) > one more than 1 cm wide injury in the neck and on several places on the wings and on the back feathers had “disappeared”. Neck-injury cleaned and stitched with 1 agrafe. Was discovered dead the 26th in the morning > probably due to the cold (and the missing of important feathers). The 2nd was brought during a blizzard from Mytiléne (see January 25th): 1 adult male from Mytiléne with a luxation of the left shoulder > the joint put back on it’s place again and a “tape-armour” was given.

TEAL (Anas crecca): 1 adult male from  Skála Kallonís > shot. Shot-injury at left elbow and closed fracture left ulna. Hanging-cast was given. For the time being no further injuries were discovered.

(was discovered January 25th)  Body-weight at intake was 194 gram. The next morning he was very lethargic and the body-weight was 172 gram; this in spite of several forced-feedings the day of intake. Suddenly gasped for breath and died. So there should have been more wrong. P.M.: performed January 31st. Bird is very emaciated; intestines not filled. Strange “deformation” on the bifurcation trachea – lungs. Died because of wrongly swallowed food > hadn’t the power anymore to cough.  

WHITE BARN OWL (Tyto a. alba): 1 adult (probably) female from Lársos > at least two days without food locked-up in a huge barn, where she couldn’t escape from > body-weight was only 214 gram and she was very lethargic !

Discovered dead at 12.50 o’clock after the ice-picking. No P.M. was done.

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna): 1 adult female, discovered by the fisherman Níkos from Skála Kallonís. Body-weight at intake was 810 gram, and this should be in between 850 and 1250 gram. Hemorrhage in the right wing (shot ??).

Cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus):  1 adult male, discovered close to the Gulf of Géras (junction Mytiléne- Géras). Showed to be shot (pellet-hole in the left side head.

Discovered dead the same evening.

GOSHAWK (Accipiter gentilis): 1 juvenile female from Pétra (see January 28th)  > old fracture left wing with dislocation and functio-læsie. Will receive physiotherapies in the hope that . . . . .

LAMB (Ovis aries): 1 from  Ágia Paraskeví >  was discovered in front of the door of the L.W.H. > had lost the way, home and mother. (see further January 29th).

BUZZARD (buteo buteo): 1 adult from Mória; was discovered already half-frozen the 29th. Was shot: fresh shot-injury in left wing (in & out) with a fracture. Old (huge) injury on the back and injury left eye (is blind there ?). As well shot-injury right side upper-bill.

A check-up next morning showed another shot-hole on the left side of the pelvis. This explains the difficulties with standing on its legs. Moreover, there is an open fracture of the left humerus (is splinted now) and the pellet that had penetrated the upper-bill, had entered from below and passed through the skin and went trough the tongue-muscle. After that, it was the turn to the upper-bill. Received anti-biotics now (15 IU Baytril i.m.) . According to the measurements it can be a female, but a male is possible too (just in between)  > Mr. Ben Steinfort, Holland.

 

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