Screech owl rescue 2014

November 2014. A friend called me with a problem. She had found a little owl she thought was a baby. First of all babies are not born in November and second we have 2 very small owls that we may encounter. Saw whet and screech. Both amazing little owls. And yes could very easily be mistaken for a baby owl. More than this lady has called them that to me. But in fact this is a full grown adult screech owl. She found it manteling over a mouse in its talons at the bottom of her deck stairs. Owls do this to protect their catch. By opening their wings and cupping them around their prey. The mouse was in its talons but the owl did not have the energy to eat it. I told her to make sure it did not get away. And I would be there soon. Just as I thought it was emaciated or "starving ". I handled it and felt its chest gently ,it had no fight at all left in it,and it was very obvious this little owl was in real trouble. I took it home and called Toronto Wildlife Center. And he spent the night with me warm and sheltered. First thing in the AM we took it to TWC. From there they got it stable, in a couple weeks it went to The Owl Foundation were it continued to recuperate. In April 2015 it was ready to come home. And I got to go pick it up and release it back to the wild. To be free again. Amazing. The following are some photos of it when I first got it,at The Owl Foundation and the big day. The release to freedom. There are no words to describe that feeling. And then I found it " thanks to the chickadees " after release and got to see it alive and well in the wild again. Wide eyed and tall and thin to make itself blend into the trees. Which by the way these owls do very well. If you are lucky to see an owl of any sort. Be respective,do not use flashes and PLEASE do not get to close. Give it lots of space and never feed ,follow or chase.

Unfortunately these went in helter scelter. But above is the owl after I got it home in a box. I put a stick in there for it to grip. As you can see it was all fluffed up and not looking good at all.

This is a collage I put together of the various stages of this rescue.

I didnt even need to wear gloves. It had no life . It just sat in my hands and allowed me to check it out.Was very very thin and weak.

The big day. Getting ready to release the now healthy little owl.

Off it goes,Flew to the fence sat a while then off it went. It was home.

My son Jeff took this photo of it sitting on the fence after the release to get its bearings. Did not take long and off it went.

Another shot of it in the box at my house night before it went to rehab.

At The Owl Foundation,getting ready for the last check up before they release him to me to go back to the wild.

Not impressed,but also being very good, all this must be done to make sure it is safe to release it to us. And making sure it is in fact ready to go free.