Received a call from SHRR Rescue Coordinator with an owl (we weren't sure of the species) down near Fairmount, Grant County. I wasn't going to have a vehicle until later in the day, and all Conservation Officers were off. I finally made my way just before dark to get the owl that had been hanging out in the caller's yard all day. The lady of the house had kept in contact with me throughout the day, letting me know the owl was capable of flight. Knowing this, I made sure there was a blanket available for capture - but I didn't let the caller know until I arrived that she would be a part of the rescue. :)
When I pulled up, the bird was visible from the drive. It looked much like a dark cat, relaxing - big, plump, ears erect. A Great Horned Owl. The caller's husband was on his way home, and timed his arrival perfectly. He and I took ends of the blanket and I directed his wife to circle around the bird so that we were at opposite sides, with the bird in the middle. I asked that she slowly start walking towards the bird, in hopes that the bird would willingly fly into the large white curtain. The joke is always on humans when we try to outsmart a wild animal. The bird looked towards the side that was open, and I knew its next move. The husband and I darted to cut it off its intended path. I felt like a goalie in a football game. Score! In one swift move, we tossed the blanket over the bird and I bent to contain it from slithering out from under it. I avoided contact with its feet (did I mention the only gloves I had were a leather pair of working gloves - highly not recommended for working with raptors?). I contained the bird (It was weak, its obvious injury was to its eye, and still capable of defending itself.), allowed the homeowners a photo, and put him into a transport box. We were off to see Pat, the vet.
Once at the office, the bird was looked over, tube fed, eye ointment placed in the injured eye (we won't go into details of just how gross it is to see the inside of an eye protruding to the outside of the eye and how much Pat enjoys my reaction to such things), and an old wing injury was discovered. The bird was placed in a box where it would spend the night. BUT WAIT! We forgot to take a photo! I slip on the oh-so-safe garden gloves and proceed to remove the bird from the box. Attempting to get the correct hold on the bird's feet - BAM! Talons through the soft leather into my fingers. Pat was able to pry a toe away enough for my hand to escape the glove. You know the saying of a bird in the hand? Now here's a hand in the bird. It's always a new and exciting adventure being a volunteer for SHRR!! And, as always, it takes teamwork. Thank you all!
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