Owl Rescue

Last night, while watching television, we heard a familiar thud.  This time, however, the thud was louder, so I was immediately afraid it was the owl Jim saw in the backyard a few days ago.  We flipped on all the back lights and there he was, a stunned barred owl laying on the steps that lead to the three-season room.

Sadly, every year, several song birds fly into the walls of the three-season room, which are a series of sliding glass doors.  Each death is upsetting, of course, but not as disturbing as seeing that huge beautiful owl laying flat on his back.

After an hour, the owl did manage to slide off the stairs, but he was still flat on his back with his eyes wide open.  Jim scooped him up, put him in a box, and left him in the garage overnight.  He was still alive this morning, so I took him to the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, MO.

I honestly was shocked when they lifted the owl out of the box and he was able to stand upright.  Their initial exam confirmed no broken bones and no evidence of internal hemorrhaging.  The vet comes tomorrow, so he'll get a more thorough examination then.  In the meantime, he's safe and in good hands.