In my recent post, "The First Bird," I shared stories on raptors birds recovered where the outcome was not quite so positive. I mentioned how the release of a recovered bird certainly offsets that disappointment. Last week I had my first experience with that side of the equation.
Releasing a Barred Owl near the site of its initial rescue was liberating. We searched a good location that was open enough, but close to trees that the owl might have sat in prior to its injury. Having been told I would have to look quickly as I opened the top of the carrier, since they typically leave their confinement very quickly, I tipped it a bit to perhaps allow him to take a step first. Here's a video of the result:
Not long after, we helped another much younger Great Horned Owl into a new nest. Not only a new nest, built by my mentor, Jim Johnston, but also a new mother. If they find a baby owl but cannot locate the nest or there's no sign of the mother, they simply place the baby into another nest. The new mother adopts that baby very readily. In preparing for the transfer, I placed a ladder against the tree and climbed up to the nest to see who was home. I came face to face with Mom, who hunkered down into the nest, flying off as soon as I climbed back down the ladder. Her wings mussed my hair. The homeowner, who had agreed to allowing other orphans to be fostered in their nest, ducked into the house, not sure about what Mom might do. The placement went well and hopefully both babies are doing well.
A day after that, we rescued another baby Great Horned Owl from the ground below his nest high atop the tall pine tree. Great Horned Owls simply occupy existing nests rather than building their own, so perhaps it was too small for the two babies and one egg that fell to the ground. We brought the one survivor in for incubation, since it had grown very cold without Mom's protection. Later that evening, we returned with a new, larger nest, which we placed lower in the tree. This picture is of that baby and its man-made nest.
Needless to say, I'm very energized by all that I'm learning in the process of these rescues and releases. We're just entering the busy season for baby rescue, so I expect to have many more such opportunities.
Releasing a Barred Owl near the site of its initial rescue was liberating. We searched a good location that was open enough, but close to trees that the owl might have sat in prior to its injury. Having been told I would have to look quickly as I opened the top of the carrier, since they typically leave their confinement very quickly, I tipped it a bit to perhaps allow him to take a step first. Here's a video of the result:
Not long after, we helped another much younger Great Horned Owl into a new nest. Not only a new nest, built by my mentor, Jim Johnston, but also a new mother. If they find a baby owl but cannot locate the nest or there's no sign of the mother, they simply place the baby into another nest. The new mother adopts that baby very readily. In preparing for the transfer, I placed a ladder against the tree and climbed up to the nest to see who was home. I came face to face with Mom, who hunkered down into the nest, flying off as soon as I climbed back down the ladder. Her wings mussed my hair. The homeowner, who had agreed to allowing other orphans to be fostered in their nest, ducked into the house, not sure about what Mom might do. The placement went well and hopefully both babies are doing well.A day after that, we rescued another baby Great Horned Owl from the ground below his nest high atop the tall pine tree. Great Horned Owls simply occupy existing nests rather than building their own, so perhaps it was too small for the two babies and one egg that fell to the ground. We brought the one survivor in for incubation, since it had grown very cold without Mom's protection. Later that evening, we returned with a new, larger nest, which we placed lower in the tree. This picture is of that baby and its man-made nest.
Needless to say, I'm very energized by all that I'm learning in the process of these rescues and releases. We're just entering the busy season for baby rescue, so I expect to have many more such opportunities.
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