Road rescue

[reeltime]

Found this feathered critter on my way home from work Friday night. at first thought it was someone's hat laying in the road but when I rolled the window down I realized it was an owl.

Picked it up to lay it over in the orchard but realized it was still alive, obviously injured. Hopped back in the truck and headed to the house. It pretty quickly got its feet to my pinky finger and wow for a little bird they have some powerful grip.

Made a call to secure possession approval and once to the house we put a box together with a towel in the bottom and I put a Y stick in there for it to perch on.

It was pretty groggy and we had to pry its feet off my finger but it was in the box for the night.

Early Saturday AM I got up to scout for turkey and when I looked in the box the owl was looking back at me. It made no attempt to move and appeared to have issues on its left side.

I called the dec rehabber and met her at 10:30. After filling out the paperwork we talked for a few minutes and when I told her IF it can be rehabbed I want assured that you are going to take it back and release it where I found it.

She kinda looked at me like I had 3 eyes. But I reiterated that it was to be released back where I found it or I would retain possession and find someone else that would.

Hope it makes it, it has a chance now and it certainly wouldn't have laying in the road.

 

 

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[Lawdwaz]

Cool as heck Lee, keep us posted on progress. 

[rob-c]

That’s great ..

[mowin]

Hopefully it recovers.  

Found a redtail hawk on a back road couple yrs ago.  DEC came and picked it up, but it died a few hours later.

Edited April 12, 2020 by mowin

[turkeyfeathers]

Very cool. Good on you Lee. Hope the little one makes it through ok to screetch again 

[Robhuntandfish]

That's great. Sportsman always step up for wildlife.  Great job

[grampy]

To me, and most native americans, the owl is a spirit bird.

Great that you gave him\her a chance.

[Daveboone]

Car injuries frequently result in head injuries, which they seldom recover from ….I found a barred owl in the same situation, but it died while I was there:(.

[crappyice]

Cool story


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[Pygmy]

Looks like a grey phase screech owl....Hope  it makes it...Good work, Lee....

[reeltime]

Talked to the rehabber thos morning , she said the owl is still not opening its left eye but is moving around in the cage good and has gobbled up the mice she puts in with it.

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[Paula]

Sounds like he is doing well, do you know if he will be let go of he cannot see out of that eye?

[reeltime]

not sure paula, the rehabber said that they eye does not show signs of trauma but it will not open its left eye. she said sometimes it takes a while for them to fully recover from head trauma.  I hope it gets well enough to release back into the wild and more importantly where I found it on the road.

 

[GreeneHunter]

You did nature a big favor , congrats to you " Reeltime " !  Hope all turns out well !

[cynthiafu]

The hawk I found last year couldn't be released  because  of the broken wing and broken beak. They kept it for educational purposes