"Camp is a Home For Everyone": Especially Owls

We recently had a unique off-season surprise at Camp when we found...

 

One of our residents...

Camouflaged in ferns and foliage:

An injured Great Horned Owl!

Shout out to Woodrow (The Good Boy) for discovering the owl...

AND for not doing anything to make the situation far worse AS he discovered the owl.

Fortunately, we knew just what to do. We transported...

(Wait. How do you transport an injured Great Horned Owl?)

Carefully, of course. 

Yes, we transported her for a check-up with our friend...

Bill Streeter of the Delaware Valley Raptor Center.

Bill gave our new great-horned-acquaintance...

A close medical examination.

He determined that unfortunately,

She had suffered a pelvic injury...

And her return to the wilds of 4-H Camp was questionable.

BUT THEN!

(Wait in suspense...)

---

ONE

MONTH

LATER

---

On a lovely October morning...

We received word...

Our Great Horned Owl was rehabilitated and ready to return home to 4-H Camp!

Even T-Nivi was overjoyed!

So Bill brought the owl...

Back to Camp...

And looked for the perfect spot to reintroduce her to our woods. 

Ohh. The wide open bowl.

Nice choice.

And...

Look...

Who it is!

Back home...

Safe...

And sound.

After time under...

Careful observation...

Getting her strength,

Health,

And ability to fly back...

Bill was confident our Great Horned Owl was ready to get back to living here in Stokes State Forest.

And you all know what that's like!

Cause what's better...

Than coming back...

To Summer Camp...

After...

You've been away for a while.

And so,

We took once last dramatic pause...

...And she took flight.

Headed right back to where she left off...

And to the end of another...

4-H Camp...

Success story.

Thanks go to Julie for immediately (before she even told me about it) calling the Delaware Valley Raptor Center for help once Woodrow located the owl, and for taking these nice photos of the owl's return to Camp. 

And of course, the biggest thanks go to Bill Streeter and the DVRC for the wonderful work they did not just for our owl, but for the countless other birds of prey in their care. 

You can check out and support the fine work the DVRC does not just on their website, but here at Camp as well! 

Join us for Spring Family Weekend May 18th-20th, where we're planning on the Delaware Valley Raptor Center giving one of their spectacular presentations on Saturday night, and bringing several more impressive birds (akin to our Great Horned Owl) to visit Camp. You won't want to miss it.