A pair of great horned owlets were recently re-nested and reunited with their parents after falling out of their nests in Hybla Valley’s Huntley Meadows Park.
The owlets’ troubles began after one of the pair — who were likely only a few weeks old — fell out of the nest earlier this spring. After park visitors reported the issue, the bird was quickly taken to a rehabber in Boyce, Virginia.
But before the Fairfax County Animal Services and rehabilitators with the Northern Virginia-based Wildlife Rescue League could make plans to put the owlet back, its sibling also fell out of the nest.
Fortunately, that owlet was uninjured, so the Wildlife Rescue League and Animal Services made plans to put it back — quickly. That was when Billy Rios, a volunteer with the league who’s conducted many raptor rescues throughout the region, stepped in, wicker basket in hand.
“Great horned owls … use stick-built nests, but they do not build the nest. They will occupy abandoned nests of other birds, other raptors, sometimes even squirrel nests, and they do not maintain those nests,” Rios explained. “And sometimes they’re in poor condition, and then if you get a storm, the babies end up on the ground.”
Rios contacted Darrell Sheridan, the owner of Sheridan Tree Experts in Culpeper, for help putting the owlets back. Sheridan had worked with him on other rescues in the past.
“Darrell ascended the tree, and he took photos, sent them down to me, and I assessed that that existing nest — or what was left of it — in the tree was not suitable to re-nest,” Rios said. “So that’s when we secured the artificial nest basket.”
As a county animal services officer stood by to help secure the area, and pedestrians watched from a distance, Rios heard crows making noise. That was a good sign.
“Crows do not like raptors,” Rios said. That meant the mother was still nearby.
The rescue occurred on April 3, but Rios and the Animal Services wanted to wait to share the news of it until the owlets knew how to fly, for their security. Since that time, local photographers have been watching and observing the owlets, who finally flew on their own around mid-May.
“These owls at Huntley Meadow Park are extremely high profile. Huntley Meadows is a premier birding location in our region,” Rios said.
Animal Services staff said that members of the public were instrumental in helping the owlets out, by letting them know of the situation.
By late April, the agency had fielded nearly 1,000 calls related to wildlife this spring, FFXnow reported at that time. Some of the most common needs the agency and wildlife rehabilitators run into around this time of year involve displaced cottontail bunnies, injured birds, and baby squirrels.
“Definitely give us a call if there’s ever any sort of injured wildlife,” said Cliff Ballena, an Animal Services officer supervisor, who was present during the owlets’ rescue.
“We’re always a resource, just like the Wildlife Rescue League. Our officers are here in the field from 6 to 12,” he continued. “… We’ll respond to any emergency calls for any sort of animal. A lot of time, people think Animal Services only responds to dogs and cats, but we’re here for all wildlife animals too.”
