The most beautiful bird I have ever seen........

Monday I recieved a phone call saying there was a Burrowing Owl with a broken wing, the woman who called was willing to stay with the Owl until I got there (which was very kind) as I was trying to rescue a Great White Egret at the time and it was going to be well over an hour until I could get to her. Burrowing Owls do not live in our area they are south of us, so I had no idea what I was going to find when I got there. Imagine my suprise when it was a Barn Owl. They are rarely seen, the SSS has only had 3 brought in to the hospital in the 38 years its been open. The Owl had its wing broken in several spots, which broke my heart as he will not be able to go back to the wild where he belongs.
The SSS is going to keep him as a permanent resident, he will be used for
educational purposes ( taken to schools and such) to teach people about
the importance of respecting wildlife. The Owl was on the ground when he was first spotted, when I got to the lake where he had been spotted we could not find him, when the patron was talking to me on the phone
she took her eyes off him and he dissapered. There was a dry lake bed (just muck left) and a very thick patch of cat tails.We spent about 10 minutes searching and spotted him cowering in the muck hidden by the vegitation, I was shocked and a bit scared when I saw the Barn owl for the first time. I had the lady pull back the cat tails so I had access for my net as I went in to get him he flipped on his back and screeched at me and stuck out his tallons. The noise they make is quite alarming, especially when your 3 feet from him. But I was blessed agian with the help of God he gave me the courage to go and get the Owl ( I was shaking) I got him in my net and carried him to dry ground and was able to get him by the legs and lift him out of my net so I could get my hands around him wings one was hanging and when I stood up his wing nearly touched the ground his wing span had to be close to 5 feet. It was an incredible

rescue and this is why I rescue birds they are a beautiful part of our

eco-system and we need to respect them and help them when they need it

but we must always enjoy them from afar and never hurt them or destroy 

their nests. I hope my blogs give you all an inside look at what it takes

to make sure we have generation after generation of wild birds. The Suncoast 

Seabird Santuary has an incredible staff of people who have made it their

lives work to ensure that when you look in the sky you see big and small 

colorful works of art, as thats what they are Gods art!  

The Anhinga who wouldnt give up (so I did not give up either)

An Anhinga is all black with glossy green and white spots and streaks on shoulders and wings, they have a long neck and tail the bill is long and yellow. They are also called the Snake Bird, due to its habit of appearing like a snake, surfacing with just its head and long thin neck above the water. Unlike ducks and other water birds its feathers become waterlogged, which helps with its diving and maneuvering underwater. Afterward you can see it stiking a beautiful pose with wings spread wide to help dry in the sun. I seem to rescue alot of them as they have sharp backwards barbs in their mouths, which are great for grabbing fish, but they are diving birds and when they dive into a lake, ocean or bay alot of time they get garbage (fishing line, material ext.) stuck in their beaks. It truly is heartbreaking to see one struggling to dislodge whatever is stuck so they can eat. This is the story of one that survived all odds and I was blessed with the knowledge (and pure luck) to rescue this beautiful bird and bring it to the Suncoast Seabird Santurary so he could be cared for and a month later is still there recuperating so he can be released. A little over a month ago I got a call and someone told me a bird was in a tree stuck, so off I went. When I got to the place, there were seveal people gathered on the bank of a lake, I approached and was stunned at what I saw. The Anhinga was not hanging by something stuck in its mouth (which is what I expected) but was hanging with its neck stuck between two branches,  he would flap his wings on occasion trying to get more air and free himself.  Sounds like an easy rescue, climb a tree get the bird!  Except he was 10 feet in the air, 15 to 20 feet out over a lake. So I drove around the  block and knocked on the front door of a house, he was in their backyard. They Lady and Man who lived there were so kind and helpful I will never forget them and their generosity. I climbed the fence in the backyard and took my ten foot pole net and using the pole poked the ground to scare off any snakes and hopefully chase off any alligators. I stepped into the lake and sunk up to my knees in muck, I took a step back onto the bank, frustrated as too how I was going to save this bird. I knew if I proceded I would sink to my hips in the mud and I would be in a really dangerous and bad position, as there would be know way to fight off an alligator if one came towards me. I asked if anyone had a boat, but to my utter dissapointment no one did. So next best thing, asked if anyone had plywood ( by now there are 25 people watching) so the man that lived there brought me a small piece (2 by 3) I stood on it and used my pole net and got under the bird, rocking  back and forth I sunk the wood so I would have something solid under me. I raised my net and got it over the branch above the bird so as not to pull his neck anymore, I pulled with all my strength and was ready to scream with I needed to be a foot taller ( always an issue when your 5 foot 3 and a 1/2 lol) a man on the bank yelled I'll be right back dont let go! He came back several minutes later with a pole saw and floated it out to me, I took the pole net and grasped  it between my  knees and started sawing, it took quite awhile but the branch finally gave. Now I had a big issue! I had a bird in a net and  was way out in the water and if I stepped into the water I was going the be just as stuck as the bird I just rescued! So the man goes home and gets another piece of plywood and I jumped on it and got as close to shore as I could ( board got stuck on a stump), while I was in the water a man took a machete and cut down the branches and weeds so I had a clear trail to get back up the bank and over the fence. He was standing at waters edge and pulled me out of the muck and got my shoe for me and pushed me up the hill and helped me over the fence. Whew was a rough rescue, but I got him. I took him to the SSS hospital where they worked on him for over 3 hours getting him stable and stitched up. Thank you God for the strength, the knowledge and the luck to do this. You have been gracious to me for the chance to help rescue and rehabilitate wildlife.