What a way to end the year..

[zina10]

I had just settled down to spend New Years eve relaxing in my comfy PJ's when a friend let me know she hit an owl with her truck. It was out cold as she picked it up, but then came to. She was sitting on her front porch with it nearby. It kept an eye closed and seemed stunned.
She has many cats...
She asked me if she should put it into a tree. I told her I was going to come and help her catch it and put it somewhere safe. While it couldn't fly, it would stress and try to scamper away when approached.
I have never been to her new place which is out in the boonies. So..night blind as I am..off we go with my trusty kitten rescue Box. Talk about dark and rainy roads with a bunch of idiots out and about.
Small town as we are, we do have a wildlife rescue and thank God they returned my call. I knew they would want to take the owl, no matter what day or time. We caught the poor bugger and off to find the home residence of that wildlife rehab center.
Little one made it that far. They had fluids ready and set up for the little one. Quick checkup showed blood in one eyeball. Probably head trauma. They said they are often blind after a hit. Sometimes just temporary, sometimes permanently. They are still hopeful. I dropped of a donation to help care for the little guy. I've brought them several other animals and always try to help out with the expense. Well, back at home now after all that excitement. Now I can only hope it survives...

Here it is at the rescue and after its exam. A quick no flash pic before leaving it in good hands..






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[Dianne]

Sorry to hear about the excitement to close out 2018, but so cool that you took the time and made the effort to help. Here’s hoping for a full recovery for the little fella.

[zina10]

Sorry to hear about the excitement to close out 2018, but so cool that you took the time and made the effort to help. Here’s hoping for a full recovery for the little fella.

Just as long as he makes it !!! Then it will be the best spent New Years eve I had. I LOVE owls !!!!

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well, even if he doesn't make it. At least he is not out there in the rain, mauled by cats, dying a slow death.

But I really do hope and wish he will make it. Poor baby...

[Dianne]

Just as long as he makes it !!! Then it will be the best spent New Years eve I had. I LOVE owls !!!!

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well, even if he doesn't make it. At least he is not out there in the rain, mauled by cats, dying a slow death.

But I really do hope and wish he will make it. Poor baby...

I love owls as well, incredible birds. Is he a screech owl or did the rehabber say? He looks similar to ones we had living near my house when I was growing up.

And agreed that it was best for him not to be left outside subject to the elements and predators.

[zina10]

I love owls as well, incredible birds. Is he a screech owl or did the rehabber say? He looks similar to ones we had living near my house when I was growing up.

And agreed that it was best for him not to be left outside subject to the elements and predators.

Its a screech owl, yes, quite small.

[FollowTheSun]

You did a very good deed there. I hope you are able to find out how it did and update us.

[zina10]

You did a very good deed there. I hope you are able to find out how it did and update us.

Yes, they will update if you want to be updated. Not everyone does, because sometimes it doesn't end well.

So far all but one animals I brought them made it. One I didn't actually bring to them, I had them meet me on the side of the road. A buzzard was hit by a car and it sat near the road. You could tell it was bad. Wing was obviously broken and held away from body at awkward angle. I stopped and slowly went near it. It absolutely tore up my heart, because fire ants were getting to him.

He would just lay there looking near death, but if I got to close, he would try to hobble away. I got him away from the ants and then just sat nearby waiting on the guy from the rescue. He came with a carrier, blanket and big gloves ( I had NOTHING with me). He said right away doesn't look hopeful. The buzzard didn't make it, but at least he wasn't killed by fireants. Those things are the devil.

[DandD]

As weird as people think I am for my love of legless slithering animals. They should talk to me abou my love of birds. What a great outcome.

[zina10]

This was the poor Buzzard that didn't make it...

RIP Buddy..we tried




This here was Shrimpy. I named him that because that is about how big he was. And see through. Found him on a side walk next to a restaurant. In the blazing summer heat of the south east. I have no idea how he wasn't dead already, he must have just got thrown out of the nest before I found him. The side walk was burning hot and here was this delicate tiny see through thing. I quickly scooped him up. Looked around for a nest, couldn't find it. There was the possibility of some nests on the restaurants roof rafters but I really didn't want to give the people inside a show of me scaling the walls of the restaurant..

So i took him home. I thought I might have to do a mercy kill but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. He seemed almost lifeless, wouldn't open the beak. I hit the internet real quick and found out about moistened cat food that has to be put pretty far down the beak. And soon and often.

Well, he didn't open up. So I carefully pried open and inserted a tiny bit of food. And it did go down into the crop and wasn't aspirated, thank god. I could see it since he was see through. After that he made some sounds and opened up. Still wasn't very into eating, though. I was up most of the night, not to feed as they don't eat at night, but to make sure the temp was just right. My house was to cold, but the garage was to hot. Next morning he was much livelier and I had some hope that I could do this. I did read that when you hand feed a singleton bird, they will never do well once released. They bond to humans, even if you try to not make that happen. They need at least another bird baby.

So I called the Wildlife rescue and they gladly took Shrimpy and put him with a slightly older but still mostly nekkid bird into the incubator. He ended up surviving and got released , yay Shrimpy !!!





Also took in a couple of turtles that were hit by cars but still alive, they made it as well.

That place is awesome, I'm so glad they are there and I'm so glad they took the call despite it being New Years eve !

I pray for the little owl, I really want him to make it, too

[MR Snakes]

Good on you, Zina!