GREAT HORNED OWLS RETURN TO THE WILD (Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care center where Cinder the bear is at)

[Omaha Steve]

Marta gave me the link. IF you don't know about Cinder: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025458246

http://abc7news.com/science/great-horned-owls-return-to-the-wild/344286/

Dan Ashley Thursday, October 09, 2014 10:25PM

The Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care center released two lucky great horned owls into the wild. (KGO) -- Two very lucky owls are back in the wild thanks to volunteers and animal experts who gave a hoot. ABC7 News got to go along as the two spectacular birds got a second chance at life.

Great horned owls are critical to the environment. They are apex predators at the top of the food chain, but sometimes even owls need help and that's where a non-profit group called Lake Tahoe Wildlife Rescue comes in. It is run by Cheryl and Tom Millham.

The rescue center has been caring for two great horned owls for the past several months. One was just a tiny chick when it was found in April at the base of a tree where it had fallen out of its nest. Bird lover Rob Lowry watched it for several days and determined the parents could not take care of it. Lowry called the rescue center and was told to bring in the chick for help. It was only a couple of weeks old, still very fluffy, and so young it had not opened its eyes.

The second owl was a little older and arrived several months later. It was so badly injured it had to have one of its eyes removed.

FULL story and VIDEO at link.

[sadoldgirl]

1. Great!

It may not be much, but every little bit helps.

[shenmue]

2. Whoooooooooot

Yay for birdees!

[brewens]

3. I pulled up in my truck at a state park marina, got out and noticed bones at the base of a tree.

The bones were left over from kills of a pair of great horned owls that were at that moment sitting there in the tree. I just looked up, and there they were! This was pretty cool, and the first time I was actually that close to a pair in daylight, but probably not all that crazy.

This is a state park in Idaho and at the far end of the marina parking lot that is seldom used. It happens to be a good smallmouthed bass hole if you know what you are doing.

What was really cool was that there was an elderly couple from Pennsylvannia that just happened to be coming along the bike trail along the river when I went over there to my fishin' hole. I saw the guy had a nice looking camera and pointed out my truck 100 yards away or so and told them what was sitting in the tree! It turned out they were bird watchers and went right over. I saw them taking what had to be some pretty impressive pics. The owls were really not very high up because it wasn't a very big tree.

[Rhinodawg]

4. Tough bird

[shenmue]

6. Purty

I love the eyes.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. kick