Tawny Owl

On the lane out of the village I rescued a Tawny Owl - it was wet with ruffled and damaged feathers, one wing twisted and drooped, eye-lids shut.  It allowed me to pick it up without a flinch and I popped it in a basket.  It was a young bird, possibly hit by a car.  I knew the best thing was to take it to Jean Thorpe, a local lady who is the Ryedale Wildlife Rehabilitation expert.  I left the owl with her.

When I 'phoned the next day to see how things were, she told me that the injuries were so bad that she felt the best thing was to put the owl to sleep.

Oh.  I have felt very sad about it.

Jean's work is amazing, she told me about the newest bird to be brought to her, a Nightjar, which had begun its migration and obviously become ill, injured or weak and had landed on a fishing boat, which when arriving at shore, still had the bird on board.  The crew then contacted Jean who took the bird in.

Hopefully this will be a successful release story.