Lisa had called me to see if I knew anyone who could climb a tree to put a baby Great Horned Owl backup into it’s nest. My husband, Jimmy, got on the phone and said that he could do it.

After four days of rescheduling it the weather finally cooperated. On Sunday March 12th at about 5pm we all went out to Jan & Bob Tidwell’s home. Jimmy climbed a different tree than the one with the original nest because the bottom branch on that Pine was over 50 feet into the air. He was tree climbing, so we picked a tree about 10 feet from the Pine. Jimmy went up into the tree. Once he was into position he lowered a rope, which Lisa tied off to a wicker basket. Jimmy tied the basket in the “Y” of the tree. Some pine needles were added for bedding. Then the rope was lowered once again this time for the Baby Owl that was in a small carrier. (Remember it is gradually getting darker plus Mom & Dad Owl are flying back & forth, letting us know that they were there.) Once it reach Jimmy he took the baby owl out and placed him in the mad made nest. We left some food for the baby. Jimmy climbed back down the tree.

About four days later, Thursday, we went back out to where the owl was and Jimmy climbed back up the tree … again. He put the baby into the carrier and lowered him down to me. Upon examining the Owl I discovered the little one wasn’t getting enough to eat. At this point the baby was brought back into Wildlife Responses Inc care. The parents were good parents but they were concentrating all their efforts on the alpha baby, which was till in the original nest.

That first night back in our care he ate 11 mice, then 10 more in the morning and again 8 more that following evening. Lisa Barlow has the owl and will release him when he is ready.

By Pearl Beamer