Twenty four hours ago Hazel and Telly found a young owl in the grove. I have been hearing an owl for several months straight west of the house and that’s where I found the owl on the ground with Hazel and Telly wanting to attack and kill it. I made them come with me to the house and hoped for the best. This morning the owl was not there. Whew!
About noon I saw a very large bird fly over and wondered, just wondered if it was the mama owl. Sure enough I found the juvenile owl not far from the spot I saw it last night. What to do? Take off my sweatshirt and cover the owl’s head, pick him up and walk to the house where I put him inside a cat carrier.
Now what? I called and left a message for the local conservation officer. Waiting, waiting for him to call me back and while I waited I decided to take the owl to Reed’s house to show him – I knew he’d want to see it and so did everybody else. Then I went to Concord to show Gayle who is so interested in wildlife.
The conservation officer called me back and I stopped at his house – he told me there was not much he could do except take the young owl to the wildlife area near my house. I knew he wouldn’t make it without his mom nearby to feed him but if I put him back in the grove, the dogs would surely find him.
Soooooooo – knowing a huge tree limb had landed on our fence close to where the owl was found, I decided to put him on that limb. The conservation officer told me the young owl was a “brancher” – old enough to hop around on a branch or limb but not yet able to fly and still dependent on mom to feed him.
Becky and Tom were bringing pizza for supper to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary so after we ate Becky and I loaded the ladder and the owl on the golf cart and drove to the west side of our property where the tree was laying on the fence. I positioned the ladder and made sure it was solid.
Here’s where Becky accidentally switched to video so bear with me. I had on leather gloves and with a towel I pulled the terrified owl out of the cat carrier.
So…..the videos will not load even though they’re only 1-3 seconds but I held on to his feet and he flapped his wings and I took him up the ladder and sat him on the limb.
It was a thrilling few minutes – I remember saying I wanted to be a bird trainer when I grew up – ha!
This is how we left him.
And as we drove away, the sweetest thing happened – the mama owl flew into the next tree! It was as if she had been waiting for her baby to come back.
And as Becky always says, there’s never a dull moment around here – it’s always something! And this “something” was thrilling!
What a great story and pictures! I’m sure Mama Owl appreciates you saving her baby!
Mary, you lead a charmed life. 😊
That is so touching, that the Mama Owl almost immediately found her baby. Imagine if you hadn’t brought him back–it’s pretty clear she would be heartbroken. I’m pretty sure the only reason we humans deny that obvious truth is that it’s too hard to bear, given how harsh this life can be. Today, you made the world a less harsh place for one owl family. Good for you.
What a wonderful story you have to tell! I’m so glad his mama found him so quickly and I hope you get to see him flying around this summer.
What a wonderful kindhearted person you are! I am a great lover of all wildlife & always do what I can to help them. You definitely went the extra mile for this sweet owl. I am sure if he & his momma could they would thank you again & again. Hope they thrive.
Mary! You are one brave angel. Climbing that ladder to put a bird on a limb. You don’t even look scared. Becky is right, never a dull moment.
What a delightful ending to your great adventure! Thanks so much for sharing!
Bonnie, in Oregon
You are something! Sounds like fodder for a children’s book, with a quilt to match.
You are a very special lady! Thanks for sharing your story & for all the kindness you show……..
♥♥♥
Great story-,you have the best adventures.
You are the best person in the universe!
I absolutely love reading your stories
You are an inspiration for all
Great story! Next time wear a helmet. Mama owl can do a number on you if she gets defensive.
awesome story! I hope you are keeping all your stories you share with us. You could write a best seller. DAily Life on Mary’s Farm. Love the CT chicken scratch.
What a wonderful story. Hope it comes back to visit you,
Bless you for all the kindness you show to God’s creatures as well as people. I felt like I had know you from birth the first time I met you as so many others have told me when we mentioned your shop and you and Connie. We always say we would have just liked to come to the shop and hang out. Hope Rick is healing nicely. Have a great week.
How amazing! How wonderful for you to get to find him and to go all the extra way to return him to his mama and a safe life. Hopefully you will get to see them again! You really do have the most amazing adventures! So glad that you get pictures and share them with us.
Perfect!! Great follow through
That is an amazing story and adventure. Bless you for caring for your creatures like I do mine, I would adopt every animal in need if I could afford to feed more. I love hearing of your times around your farm, it’s nice to hear someone who has the same adventures I do. I do hope the mama owl cares for her baby until it can manage on its own.
Hurray for Mary, Becky, and the baby and Mama owls. That is a wonderful story:) Happy anniversary to Becky and Tom:)
This is the best way to start a beautiful day! I bet Mama Owl and her owlet become permanent residents of your woods.
What a wonderful experience!!!!
You always seem to know just what to do with animals and critters. I’d have needed to call the fire department! And you are very brave. The world is a better place because of you!
Wow!
So glad you gave a hoot about the welfare of this little owl! 😄
What a intresting life you have, I love hearing about all your animal adventures. That one sure had a happy ending. Good job.
Wow! Pretty neat experience!!
What I just learned about owls!! Amazing and what a story to save for your book you need to write some day about a good life spent living an amazing life and doing God’s work. You might dismiss it as ordinary but when you look at a portion of each day and how you give so freely to others such as Reed and your family and friends as well as the animals, you really do have one amazing life others could learn from. Hugs from drizzly wet snow in western New York with temps going to 70 this week.
What a lovely story! Way to go…
Never a dull moment! My husband and I saved an owl many years ago that was caught in a trap. Took him to an animal rehab center. Recuperated and released..so cool knowing you helped wildlife!
Mary you are a huge “blessing “ to all Gods creatures ❤️ I so enjoy reading your blog and would “love” to spend a week/month on your farm with you and experience what you do each and every day but then I’d miss my fur children (Henry and Gremlin ❤️). Henry isn’t acting normal & I woke to him throwing up outside my bedroom. I hope he is ok. Again, Mary thank you for all your exciting stories on your farm & your bond with Reed. I agree you could write a book 👍 I’d, for sure, would buy the first printing. Owl story was so sweet.
Thank you for sharing your adventure today and every day!
Mary you are such a special lady. Love all your stories of animals and farm life (actually I’m a little jealous). Really enjoyed coming down to Country Threads before you close
Before you closed. Anyway God bless for all you do for the animals. Like I said you are a special lady.
Read your adventure aloud to my husband. What a “great adventure”. Be sure and keep us updated.
What a great way to start my morning reading about your owl adventure. Birds are arriving here as the temperatures mellow, but not the Robins, yet. Still waiting for the deer n elk to venture here, as well. Yesterday we experienced a terrific gush of rain n sleet early evening which was so noisy. Your young owl had a great adventure, Mary.
What a sweet story and how wonderful of you to take care of this little creature. His days ahead are much brighter thanks to you. Good feelings all around.
What an amazing adventure and you as well. You are a beautiful light in this dim world. God bless You for being such a kind and selfishly giving person.
God bless you! Excellent job of saving the owl.
Mary, you are so nurturing towards all of God’s creatures!! What a thrill to reunite momma owl back with her babe!!!
What a wonderful story. Mama owl must be so happy to have her baby back. Thank you. You are truly an angel.
You certainly were “wise as an owl” to take action to get the owlet to a safe place so Mama Owl could meet its need. I’m sure your story resonates with many who love wildlife and desire to give them the best they can if any emergency came up like you had. It’s wonderful to know there are people like you to be able to give a small owl a second lease on life. God bless you for your quick actions that made a difference for this small owl.
You should take a road trip to Houston MN to the International Owl Center and you can learn about owls, and you can also get info from them about whom to call for bird rescue, assistance and if you would care to be a transporter of any birds/raptors as well. It is an interesting place to visit, and Wabasha not that far where they have the Eagle center as well. Glad he was not injured and mama will be able to care for him. I am thinking SOAR is in Iowa also.
Church was nice this morning but your owl story was thrilling and made my day. Thank you for sharing the great outcome! God bless you!
The babe liked your stories so much he wanted to be part of the adventure! Well done.
I pray that baby owl will be okay and mama takes care of it. Sometimes I’ve heard mama will reject a baby that has been handled by humans. Hope this isn’t true here. Great you got to it before the dogs did.
Hi Mary,
My sister-in-law had the same thing happen at their grove. Our local wildlife conservation person said to find a med size basket or box and hang it up in the tree near where it was found. Mamma owl found her baby and continued taking care of it in the box. Good luck with your baby.
Kristine – oh, what an excellent idea! Thank you!
I love the care you have for all animals. You are an amazing lady!
Mary there isn’t much left to say to you. I just want to tell you that you are an angel 😇 thank you for your love and compassion ❤️🐩 Sue Davis, Argyle, Tx
Thank you so for helping the baby owl. You did the right thing.
Tom and I are always helping something. We have a white owl staying
in our back yard.
I replied quickly this AM before our granddaughters’ confirmations. Now I have a question. How big is the baby owl? It looks pretty big to still be a baby!! Do you have any idea what kind of owl it is?
Great rescue job, Mary. You were put on earth for all of God’s creatures– human and animal.
Wow, Mary! What a thrill it must be to find this owlet and so happy that you could help it. I don’t know hownyou do it. I cannot climb ladders.
You are just amazing, Mary!