Below is a picture of a Great Horned Owl, whose wing was busted, that I helped rescue today.
As I've stated in other threads, I work for a security company that has a contract with the Army Corps of Engineers. The site I'm assigned to is located way out east of Denver, CO, where all kinds of wildlife reside. Today when I relieved my boss, he showed me pictures of an owl that had an injured wing. After my boss left I went in search of the owl and sure enough, found him, or should I say he found me and immediately spread his wings, as best he could, and started clicking at me. I was able to take a great picture of him with my camera, looking right at me. I then went back to the office to retrieve my phone and returned to where I saw the owl, in order to take more pictures.
I then returned to the office and called the Colorado Parks and Wildlife office to report what I found, who in turn dispatched two volunteers, Ken and Teresa, a husband and wife who have been rescuing wildlife for over ten years. The pictures were taken in case the CPW wanted to see what it was they would be dealing with.
Prior to the two volunteers arriving, the CPW representative told me to place a blanket or a box over the owl to calm it down and make sure it wouldn't try to fly away, which it wouldn't have been able to given it's damaged wing. When she first told me this, I asked, "You guys can't do that?" At which point she explained that if the owl was somehow able to get away, the volunteers would have driven out here for nothing.
I then got a pair of leather gloves and a blanket out of my car and a large box out of the recycle bin and made my way back to the owl, who upon seeing me approach with the box, spread it's wings, looked me right in the eye and tried to get away. As I continued moving toward him he turned around at which point I placed the box over him and within seconds he stopped fighting, just like the CPW rep. said he would. I placed the blanket over the box to further restrict any light that could get in through the edges of the box.
It was at this point I realized how heavy I was breathing. I had never done anything like this before. Usually my thought is, nature is nature, let it takes its course, but this owl was obviously in trouble and needed help.
Once Ken and Teresa arrived they opened the box, carefully placing a blanket over the owl before placing him in a transport cage. As it ends up, it was a young male, he still had the downy feathers on top of his head. I was able to pet it's head . . . soooooo soft.
Ken and Teresa took the owl to Birds of Prey Foundation, a non-profit corporation. I'll follow up with them tomorrow and post updates. I didn't think to take my camera with me to take pictures while Ken and Teresa were taking care of the owl. I wasn't sure how much if any help I could be, so I didn't want to bother with my camera.
"Jeep. My Jeep? What are you talking about? Penny! My Jeep?" - MacGyver
"Look at me. I'm a hurtin' guy! I'm beat up. I need a month's worth of sleep . . . and I need a haircut!" - MacGyver
"It's been said, 'The best gift a man could ever give another, was his life', Jack Dalton was never one to settle for less than the best. Thank you Jack." - MacGyver
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