Dear Desert USA,

I thought I would share a story about a beautiful owl. 

On Thursday evening around 8:30 PM, I went outside to water the grapes.  When I was turning on the water, I heard a horrible screeching/crying sound over and over again.    It was coming from the vacant lot behind my house.  As my eyes tried to search the darkness of the field, I could not see anything but shadows of weeds created by the one and only street lamp.  I continued to listen for several minutes.  The screeching noises got louder and more frequent.  "What was out there?" I wondered.  Knowing it was an animal of some kind, and assuming it was a bird of sorts, I decided to try to find it.
 
I went back into the house and got my trusty $2.00 flashlight and returned to the edge of the vacant lot.  As I began to carefully walk towards the noise, I scanned the area in front of me with my flashlight.  Suddenly, about four feet in front of me, a large bird flew from the ground up into one of the tall palm trees at the edge of the street.  He let out a horrible scream that vibrated my insides.  I turned my flashlight towards the tree top, but it would not shine brightly enough for me to see the bird.  As suddenly as he flew into the palms, he took off and flew across the street landing on the telephone wire.  Now I could that it was a very large bird, but it was impossible to identify.  As I slowly neared the palm tree to get a better view of him, he fell from the wire dropping to the ground like a stone.  I stood there, stunned by what I had seen.  I didn't know what to do.  Should I go see it?  Should I go back home?  What should I do?  My heart was sinking into my stomach while I contemplated my choices. 
 
I shinned my flashlight on the ground in the area where the big bird landed.  Two glowing red eyes reflected in the light and glarred back at me.  I cautiously took a few steps towards those eyes never taking my light away from them.  As I tiptoed closer and closer, a sudden shrill filled my ears.  Goose bumbs instantly covered my arms and the muscles in my neck tightened.  I must have made some kind of shriek myself because the red eyes disappeared into the bushes.  Getting just a glimpse of a cat scurrying away, I hoped that he had not killed the fallen bird.  I moved my light around on the ground and there he was.  A huge bird lying on his back.  The talons on his claws were immense.  I kneeled down next to him to get a closer look.  One of his claws was bent backwards and appeared to be caught somehow in his wing.   I could see that he was breathing, but his eyes were closed.   Oh, my.  What was I to do?  I couldn't just leave him there to be killed by the neighborhood cats.  I couldn't take him home.  How could I help him?  

As thoughts raced through my head, I realized I was reaching my hand out to him.  I put down my light and gently turned him over.  He opened his eyes and slowly turned his head 180 degrees and looked at me.  I was initially stunned.  I then realized that this was an owl.  A beautiful owl with a white face and golden brown feathers accented with white spots.  He was at least a foot tall.  He managed to get both claws under him, but his left wing was still sticking out with the front section of it all the way in front of him.  I began telling him he was beautiful and he would be okay.  He allowed me to stroke his head and then his back.  The sound of my voice and the gently stroking must have reassurred him that I was trying to help.  I cupped my hands around his body and cautiously moved his left wing back to is rightful place.  He never made a sound.  Instead, he gradually closed his eyes. 
 
I still knew that I could not just leave him there.  It was obvious he could not defend himself, or escape the dangers that waited in the nearby bushes.  Almost frantic, I searched the area for a safe place for him.  Nothing but vacant lots, bushes, and thirty foot palm trees.  There was no other alternative but to take him home and call someone for help.  There in the darkness I found about an eight inch round plastic grated cover of some kind.  Yes, that would do just fine.  I retrieved it quickly and set it on the ground next to the owl.  Again, I began talking softly to him while stroking his back.  I gradually cupped my hands around him, picked him up, and set him on the piece of plastic and waited to see what he would do.  After a minute or so without any visible objections being made by the owl, I placed my right hand over his back to stabilize him, and picked him up by the piece of plastic with my other hand.  He opened his eyes as I raised him.  I wondered if he would try to bite me or escape this rescue attempt.  He did neither.  He sat still and watched as I carried him to the house.  When we got to the patio, I lowered him to the ground and placed him where I could keep my eyes on him while I telephoned someone for help.  He closed his eyes and seemed to relax as he fell asleep.  I looked around my yard to make sure there were no cats in the immediate area.  Once I decided he was in a temporarily safe place, I left him to make a call.
 
As I leafed through the phone directory, I kept a watchful eye on the owl.  Ultimately, I called the local police department's non-emergency number and explained to the dispatcher that I found an injured owl and need some help.  After answering her questions, she agreed to contact animal control and assurred me that someone would respond as soon as they could.  I took a deep sigh of relief and returned to the owl's side.  
 
During the hour of waiting for animal control to arrive, a light bulb came on in my head.  My new digital camera!  Yes, I'll take a picture of him to show everyone how beautiful he is.  I got my camera and lined him up in my view finder.  Oh, no.  I wish I would have practiced taking some pictures with this camera so I would be sure to get a good one.  I had placed him in the shadows of the archway and I feared it was too dark there to take a picture.  Moving him again was just not an option as he had been through so much already.  So, I talked to him until he opened his eyes.  Click!  I took his picture.  The flash worked, but I don't think he liked it.  One picture would have to do. 
 
Headlights from a truck were coming slowing down the street.  It was the animal control truck.  It stopped in front of my house and a woman's voice asked, "Is this where the owl is?"  I quickly responded, "Yes.  He's right here."  She parked the truck and walked to the patio.  I excitedly began telling her of the events that lead to the owl being on my patio.  She was amazed that he allowed me to handle him.  She said they are dangerous because of their large talons.  "You know," she said, "they use their talons to kill their prey and can tear up human flesh, as well."  I had no defenses to use and could only say, "Yes, I know."  She went to her truck and returned with a heavy bath towel and a pair of long, thick leather gloves.  As she started to put on the gloves that covered her entire arms, I told her she didn't need those.  "I will put him the cage," I said.  "He will let me do that."  She agreed and watched as I began to talk to him softly and stoke his beautiful feathers.  As before, I slowly placed my hand over his back to steady him and picked up the plastic tray he was still sitting on.  Carefully, I carried him to the truck and placed him in the cage centered in the bed of the truck.  As she closed the cage door, she told me that I was one of the very few people that had ever touched one of these owls, and she was amazed at how he allowed me to do this repeatedly.  I beamed with pride, but became overwhelmed with grief just thinking that I had turned this owl over to the "dog catcher." 
 
Tears started to burn my eyes as I refused to blink and allow them to trickle down my cheeks.  I hesitantly asked, "What is going to happen to him?"   She sensed the fear behind my question and explained how there is a vet in town who donates his time to help wildlife.  He will treat the injuries and care for him until he is well.  If the owl can be returned to the wild, he will be set free.  If an assessment is made that determines he cannot survive in the wild, the owl will be transferred to a wildlife park north of Phoenix.  Once there, he will be able to live with the care and help he needs to survive.
 
I learned a lot that night.  I learned that there is no money to pay someone to help with the rescue of our wildlife in the Casa Grande area.  If it were not for people who volunteer their time and talent, like the off-duty animal control person who came to the rescue and the unnamed veterinarian who provides medical care, wildlife animals would not have a chance once they were injured.  To have found a young adult owl in distress and experienced the pleasure and joy of helping him, I learned that I am the lucky one.
 
I haven't learned the fate of this owl yet, so don't have the final chapter of this adventure.  If you are interested, I will send it to you after I know the details.

Sincerely,
Cynthia D. Gibson

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