Just when we thought things were settling into a pleasant and oddly smooth maturation process for our little owls, Oscar had to put a big scare into us. Last night, when we were almost finished with supper, at about 7:30, we heard an odd sound - not a voice sound, but a sudden rustling noise - coming from the redwoods where Olive and her 2 remaining kids live. We looked up and saw this flapping bundle plummet to the ground and lay still. We rushed over to the retaining wall and saw one of the babies lying on the ground. I ran to him and picked him up. He seemed stunned, but nothing looked broken and there was no obvious blood. His talons were spread, but when I put my finger into them, there was no closing response. This was alarming because he should have closed his little talons around my finger. We wondered if he had been poisoned - not from anything in our yard, but possibly from wherever he was in the habit of hunting. I handed him to Ivan and said I was going to get a box so I could take him to the vet or to the raptor rehab place. I turned to go in the house and Ivan said I might want to wait on the box. I turned around to see Oscar sitting up in Ivan's hand! Improvement! I took him from Ivan who went inside to get his camera. I again put my finger in his talons and he closed them! More improvement! Ivan and I sat on the retaining wall for several minutes and Ivan suggested that I try to put him on a redwood branch, especially since he was most familiar with that specific area. I walked slowly and carefully up the short slope and put him by the branch. He readily stood on it. Ivan took a final photo and we went inside the house. I went out about 15 minutes later and he was gone! I carefully checked the ground - no owl. I looked up and saw Olive and Othello in the top of the tree where I had placed Oscar. I went to Tree #2 and looked up and there he was - up high in his usual place looking down at me! I was thrilled! I gave him a quick thumbs up, admonished him to be safe, and went back inside the house. Much as I loved holding him, I want him to be well and not do that any more! I'd much rather watch him from afar as he grows into an adult.
So, as you've gathered, we're down to 3 owls. Ivan and I think that Oliver may have been the bird responsible for the piles of feathers seen a couple of weeks ago. Because he hasn't been seen since that day, we're assuming that he was killed. Opal hasn't been seen since July 13. Othello, the baby, is unmistakable in his horizontally striped plumage and Oscar is looking almost like an adult. The photos below are of Oscar, whom, I believe, was knocked out of his tree as he prepared to go hunting. The %$#! jays were active, but no vocalizations were heard just before Oscar dropped to the ground. The jay attack is, of course, pure speculation by me, but is certainly possible. This morning I spotted Olive sitting in Tree #1, her usual spot, but no babies. That's not that unusual - generally they spend the day in Tree #2 hidden away and come out only if it's beastly hot. I'll check again tonight and I'm hopeful that we'll all be back to normal!
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| Oscar, right after his attack by, probably, a jay. |
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| Back on his branch |
