Boobook in a sticky situation

Tuesday, September 27, 2011


Boobook in a sticky situation

WIRES members Mick and Cheryl were called out to a beautiful property near Darbys Falls, south of Cowra.

The property fronted the Boorowa River which is home to platypus, murray cod and golden perch.

John, the property owner and a nashi pear grower, had found a Southern Boobook that morning completely entangled in grass seeds - something like lovegrass and incredibly sticky.

The poor thing couldn't straighten its right wing and it was covered from head to tail in the sticky seed heads. Interestingly another WIRES member in Cowra had also recently had to rescue an owl with the same problem.

With one of us holding and one gently teasing out the sticky seeds, it still took over half an hour to get him shipshape.

We then sat him on a low branch and he took off and flew well to a nearby tree to await darkness.

We were sent home with a bag of delicious nashi pears.

Story by Mick and Cheryl, WIRES Weddin-Lachlan

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