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Rescued Owl takes flight
25th March 2007

A bird of Prey which was rescued after becoming entangled in a barbed wire fence has been released back into the wild.

The Tawny Owl was found by a member of the public at Langley just after Christmas.

Staff at Falconrydays based at Lady Hill Farm, Wark, took the creature in and nurtured it back to health until it was ready to be released. Co-owner of Falconrydays, Mark French explained how the Owl was fouud entangled in the fence at Three Corner Wood on December 28th.

It is thought it flew into the fence while intent on hunting. Luckily its rescuer knew exactly what to do and after untangling the Owl, took it home an placed it in a warm, dark box before calling the falconry centre.

The Owl was found to have flesh wounds to its wing which required stitching and the bird was given a course of antibiotics.

Once it had recovered, the Owl was released at the exact spot where it had been found.

The centre regularly rescues injured birds, nurses them back to health and then releases them back into the wild. Already this year it has released multiple Tawny Owls, a Barn Owl and a Kestrel.

Mr French said, "Because we have a passion about Birds of Prey everyone knows to get in touch with us if they find an injured bird.
"We help just because we love them."

And he added, "The help we give is free and we would actively encourage people if they find injured birds to bring them to us."

A Bit TLC puts Mr Owl back where he belongs (Hexham Courant)
24th March 2007

This Tawny Owl is flying high once again.

Jane Brown from Langley found the Owl hanging from a fence in December and and contacted Falconry Days who then spent weeks nursing it back to health.

And on Saturday the owl was ready to be released at Langley on Tyne.

Mark French, who owns Falconrydays, said, "When we examined this owl it's wing was completely broken, with all the muscles torn from hanging on the fence.

We gave it antibiotics for two weeks and force fed it for two weeks and then let it get stronger in one of avairies. Then we released it on Saturday. It is always satisfactory to see a bird fly away and know you've helped it out."

He added, "We are not a rescue centre but we always like to help out when we can. It is a very satisfying job.

We never know what happens to the bird after we release them but we know it has as good a chance of survival as any healthy bird."

Tawny Owls like this one are the most common and widespread owl in Europe. They are also the owl that can be associated with the "twit-twoo" call.