Yesterday I was reacquainted with an old feathered friend.
Regular readers will remember that Mia and I rescued a barely-fledged Short-eared Owl seven months ago (6/19/16) that had become entangled in a barbed wire fence in northern Utah. The owl spent months in rehab at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah (WRCNU) but it’s left wing had been damaged badly enough by the wire that it was determined to be unreleasable. So eventually it was turned over to HawkWatch International as an education bird. I’m an enthusiastic supporter of HWI so I was delighted with that decision.
HWI’s education birds are named and “our” owl now has a new moniker – “Galileo”.
Recently I received an invitation from Nikki Wayment, Education and Outreach Director at HWI, for Mia and I to visit Galileo and that reunion took place yesterday morning.
This is Galileo on the floor of his mew. The light in the mew was atrocious so it was very difficult to get sharp shots without flash (which we never use on birds, especially owls). Just look at the size of those pupils!
Despite his wing injury he can fly short distances and when the three of us entered his home it made him a little nervous so he flew down to the corner of his mew and watched us from there. I don’t think he was quite as happy to see Mia and I as we were to see him.
You’ll notice that he’s missing his tail feathers which he lost during the rehabilitation process. His tail should grow back when he molts in the spring.
While Nikki had him on the glove I was able to study those incredible eyes and facial disc more closely. I could look into that face all day.
This is Nikki in the mew with Galileo. As you can see Short-eared Owls really aren’t very large.
When we went outside we were able to get a little better light for photos even though the morning was overcast and dark. Galileo seemed to enjoy and be curious about the wide open spaces and trees that he can’t see from his mew.
I couldn’t help but wonder if he didn’t feel just a little wistful about the skies he’ll never fly in and the freedom he’ll never have. But then I reminded myself of the alternative.
This was how we found him on that June morning with his left wing wrapped around the devil wire and facing a slow and agonizing death. It was a heart-wrenching scene with one of his parents perched on a bush only a few feet away and in obvious distress at the plight of its offspring. I had to cut the wire to get him off the fence without further damaging his wing.
But now he’ll live a long, healthy life at HWI as one of their pampered education birds and be educating school children and adults about raptors and conservation in the process.
Given the circumstances that was the best outcome possible and I couldn’t be happier about it.
Ron
PS – On an unrelated (sort of) note I thought some of my science-geek readers might be interested in a fascinating video involving one of the famous predictions of the human Galileo – the namesake of our owl who played such a major role in the scientific revolution.
You’ll recall that Galileo predicted that two objects of different masses (perhaps a cannonball and a feather) would fall at the same speed when dropped in a vacuum where there was no air resistance (a heretical idea that was contrary to the teachings of Aristotle). But for generations there was no technology to produce a vacuum that could adequately test the theory.
But this incredibly interesting clip from BBC demonstrates the phenomenon at the world’s biggest vacuum chamber in Ohio. And there’s an intriguing Einstein twist at the end…
So glad you were able to re-connect with this beautiful young fella and learn that he is healthy and safe. Thanks for all you do.
Happy to know he is doing well. He has turned into a hansom young bird.
What a beautiful Short-eared owl you are Galileo. I am glad that Ron and Mia rescued you from an unfortunate and tragic incident.
🙂
I’m late to this party but wanted to add my thanks for this update and “re-introduction” to the now rehabbed & beautifully named Galileo. I remember so well when you posted about his rescue and how angry I felt about that godawful barbed wire — which I still am, of course — but so glad that he’s in the care of HWI, thanks to you & Mia. He is one gorgeous raptor, and I hope to see him myself later this year when I visit friends in Utah. Thank you, Ron, for being not just a photographer of wildlife but a protector, as well!
I appreciate your heartfelt comment, Chris. Thank you. I hope you get to see him while you’re here.
How exciting, that the both of you were invited to visit with Galileo. He is a little beauty. I’m glad his tail feathers will grow back, and that he can fly short distance. I too feel sad he can’t fly in the blue sky again, but then he will never have to worry about where his food will come from. He will be taken care of. Thank you for the update. It put a smile on my face!
He should be a contented bird with a long life, Jean. It sure could have gone the other way.
My eyes are sweating a bit here.
Both for happiness, and the image of him caught never fails to make me weep.
Thank you and Mia – and hooray for a future for Galileo where there was none.
EC, I visit HWI occasionally for other reasons and now I hope to see Galileo sometimes when I do.
What a stunning beauty. In MY world, if you do nothing else in your life that seals your good Karma, Galileo’s rescue will do it for you! And I’m absolutely CERTAIN he’s not the only good Karma seal in your life 😉
Having worked with education birds and watched the impact these birds have on people, I KNOW first-hand how important education programs are. The bottom line is that people will never care about what they don’t know. And seeing these birds up close and personal makes people care. It changes them at a core level to one degree or another. I always loved watching the look of delight and wonder on the faces of folks, especially kids. When their faces light up with knowledge, when you see it ignite in their eyes, it’s just a joy to watch.
You’re absolutely right about the value of those education programs, Laura. I used to have education raptors brought to my Utah Wildlife classes and their effect on the kids was both palpable and long-lasting.
He’s such a beautiful bird! I’m so glad you and Mia were able to visit him in his new digs. I especially like the second shot because of the detail I can see in his facial disc feathers — soooo cool!
The entangled shot still makes me cry — the poor baby. Out of curiosity, did the rancher ever contact you about the fence? I’m incredibly grateful to you, Mia, the vets and rehabbers, and HWI for saving this little guy and giving him a new lease on life.
Thanks for the inclusion of the video. Fantastic! The vacuum chambers we use in the classroom don’t hold a candle to that giant building! (I watched the next video in the queue — “Gravity Visualized” — amazing what one teacher, some PVC, Lycra weights and marbles can come up with!)
Marty, No, not only has the rancher not contacted me about the fence, he/she hasn’t even patched it. I check every time I go up there which is often.
I’ll now be going back to watch that second clip you mentioned. Thanks for the heads up.
I’m delighted to see him again. So happy you rescued him. and the. I’d do? Makes my geek happy. 🙂
Geek happy’s a good kind’a happy, Arwen!
Great story, Ron, Both the rescue and recovery efforts. Galileo is a cool little guy!
Just curious….how hard was Galileo to handle when you made your initial rescue effort? I’ve rescued two Owls, the first was an easy-to-handle Screech-Owl, handled with heavy work gloves, the second was a Great Horned that was a holy terror. I won’t give the blow-by-blow but it involved welding gloves and a burlap bag. No blood on the ground from either of us, but man, those guys are like greased lightning. 🙂
Another great story; that’s what keeps me coming back. TFS….Mitch
Mitch, this bird was as gentle as could be. It never even tried to bite or claw me. Perhaps that was from shock, I just don’t know.
I also had to cut a Barn Owl out of barbed wire (no, I don’t like barbed wire!) a couple of years ago and that bird was gentle with me too.
But those birds weren’t GHO’s! They’re called the “tiger of the sky” for very good reason. You’re lucky to still have all your digits! 🙂
What a wonderful story. That photo of him caught up in the barbed wired is just heart wrenching.
Yup, that one’s still hard for me to look at, Marlo – even seven months later…
Gorgeous photos of a stunning bird… I’m so glad that you and M were there at the right time in the right place to rescue him…
We found him in an area that was remote and deserted, Nicole. His chances of being found in time by anyone were almost nil.
WOW!! For both Galileo and the video. I periodically hear about the feather vs. lead (or whatever) in a vacuum from my retired physics teacher husband, and while I believed it, seeing it actually happen is amazing. As for Galileo, he is gorgeous, and I’m glad that he has the opportunity to live a long and healthy life, well cared for by people who love birds. Even if he didn’t recognize you and Mia, I’m sure that in his Owl heart, he is grateful for the fact that you rescued him, as much as an Owl can be grateful. It does my heart good to see him doing so well.
Susan, I’ll bet your husband would enjoy the clip too, even though the info is obviously old hat to him.
Such a beautiful, beautiful face! When they look up at the sky like that it tears at my heart, even though I know how lucky this bird is to even be alive…makes me think of an eagle named Eva and a GHO named Winston, how they seemed to yearn to fly …just got glimpse of Galileo hung up on that effing devil’s wire…couldn’t bare to really look…already too sick at heart…
I have some of the same bittersweet feelings, Patty.
Watched video…fascinating! How anyone can possibly NOT be amazed, intrigued, and enchanted by “science” is beyond me!!!
Ron, I too could look into the face of a Short-eared Owl all day, so I have a beautiful photograph of one as my smartphone wallpaper. It was great to see the next chapter in Galileo’s recovery.
Intellectually I know the ball and feather will fall at the same rate in a vacuum, but actually seeing it happen was very weird.
Gail, I think your last sentence was a perfect description of the reaction of many of us to seeing that clip.
Oh, I’m so glad to see Galileo looking so healthy! He’s just beautiful and life as an education bird is so very much better than the alternative. Thanks to you and Mia for saving this beautiful bird’s life!
I think he’ll enjoy his new life there, Sharon. As you say, much better than the alternative.
Ron, Glad to hear Galileo is doing fine and thank you for the link to the clip on the vacuum chamber. Really enjoyed it.
Thanks, Frank.
Super story, super images and great outcome for Galileo. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Hank.
Thank you Ron, I love hearing what happens to your”friends” !
I wish all my stories about my feathered friends turned out this well or better, Laurel. Sadly that just isn’t the case.
And fantastic science demo for dessert!
Wasn’t that video fun!
Wow happy story!! Thank you Ron and Mia!!!
Thanks, Marina.
Wonderful! They are smaller than I figured! Glad Galileo’s doing so well. 🙂 Actually watching the feathers and bowling ball fall at the same rate fun.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, Judy. I sure did.
A great rescue story! To highlight this work is so important and inspiring, as are the people behind the scenes (and camera). The joy on Niki’s face and the assurance in Galileo’s expression says it all.
Nikki adores that bird, Robert. As do others who care for it.
Wow! Thanks for the follow-up, Ron. Great to know that Galileo will get to live out his years as an ambassador. Love that fifth photo!!!
I’m glad you like that shot, Diane. I asked Nikki to hold the bird up high so I could get the tree as a background.
Thanks for this great story, Ron! It is so heartening to know that it was through the efforts of so many, that he will have a long, comfortable life.
Cheers,
Gail
“heartening to know that it was through the efforts of so many”
You’re right about that, Gail. There was an army of caring people that contributed and continue to contribute to the welfare of Galileo.
Such a wonderful story and beautiful photographs of Galileo. Thank you for the update, Ron.
I’m glad you enjoyed both the story and the photos, Cindy. Thanks.
Thanks so much for this uplifting, informative and really cool post. Long live both Galileos in our hearts and minds 😉 Hoorah for what you and Mia were able to do for this wonderful (and yes, small!) bird.
“Long live both Galileos in our hearts and minds”
I liked the way you put that, Christine.