The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
By Alice Macnow.
I was walking on the canal path in Rocky Hill, when I saw what looked like feathers hanging off a tree near the water. It looked like a dead hawk, with wings spread out, head down.
I couldn’t believe it, and kept looking, when I saw claws moving a little. It was alive!
Of all the days to leave my phone at home. I stopped several people, and one man made many phone calls to try and find bird rescue. It was Sunday, no answer anywhere.
I was ready to give up and go home to try from there, when I saw a woman walking with two dogs. I thought she might know an emergency vet in the area. She suggested asking a person fishing if they could cut the line holding it’s wing. I found George packing his car and explained about the bird. He came and looked, and said it was too far down to get. Then he remembered his net, and while I stood on the far bank to point it out, he went around to the other side. He managed to climb down, catch it with his net, and cut the line.
Now, what to do?
I thought I could drive it to a vet, but then we saw the Franklin Township Police car near the parking lot. The officer was able to get through to Franklin County Animal Control, which came promptly. Katie Nordhaus, the Animal Control Officer, gently wrapped a towel around the bird, and placed it inside a dog crate.
By now we knew it was an owl, young, perhaps a barred owl, one of my friends thought, seeing the photos later. It was being taken to Raptor Trust for examination and hopefully, rehabilitation. Let’s hope it all ends well.
Tremendous thanks to all who helped: George, who probably got poison ivy, the kind people who made phone calls and suggestions, Franklin Township Police and Animal Control.
From now on I’m carrying my phone everywhere, with Animal Control’s phone number, 732-873-2500. And the Raptor Trust in Morris County, 908-647-2353.
