The "Official" Fiddleback OFF-TOPIC thread!!!!!!!!

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As if we all don't collect enough stuff.

Who likes walking sticks/canes?



Two of my favorites.



The horse head cane was my first, it was handcarved by an amish gentleman in Ohio. The other one was hand carved in South Africa. My parents brought it home from one of their visits to my aunt who went there as a missionary in the 60s.

 

My parents obviously know I like knives so when I got a call that they had a few for me that they found while cleaning out there kitchen I wondered what they could be. This is what I was given. I have no idea what they thought I would do with the 5 on the left, the Kabar has definitely seen better days, but the Forgercraft butcher knife is hi-carbon and has promise. It actually looks like it will sharpen up nicely.

Has anyone else been gifted anything like this?

 

Early last evening, a friend called to tell me she'd seen a "large bird" at the side of the road when driving through the park in the middle of town, probably an owl.

I did hie me over, to behold this:



A baby (juvenile) Great Horned Owl!

Police were on the scene when I arrived, having called a Wildlife official and preventing a previously-growing crowd from distressing the owl.

Somehow, it ended up just being the two police officers and me, waiting for the Wildlife person. The officers dropped a bin over the owl to prevent it from moving into traffic or drawing more people while we waited.

As the officers approached the owl to bin it:





I almost left before the rescuer arrived (there was no known ETA), but... couldn't, of course. I remained next to the binned owl throughout.

Once the woman arrived, I was totally blown away by her calm expertise. This video begins right after she propped up the bin ever so slightly, reached in, grasped the owl by its shanks, and lifted it out:



[I was too excited to remember to film horizontally. ]

The entire event was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had; my little owl-loving heart remains at the bursting point.



~ P.

 

That thing would rip your face off so fast!!!
Must have been really cool to see one up that close tho

 

That's pretty cool, P. And good of you to stick around for the safety of the animal (and gang).

 

Wow that's awesome! That was not a happy owl!

We have at least two Great Horned Owls on the property I work. I see them weekly probably. I'll try to bring my spotting scope out there some time and take a few pictures, it's off getting repaired so it might be a little while, but I'll get to it eventually!

We also have lots of hawks and falcons around. It's a cool place!

 

@pertinux Flippin sweet!! Very excited for your owl lovin heart.

 

That's awesome @pertinux

 

P - Nice video. Never been that close to one - lucky you. Your experience reminds me of an owl my brother drew (charcoal) for me and still hangs on my wall today. He's drawn, painted, sculpted many owls.

 

Thanks for sharing your Owl rescue experience with us. Nothing like a close encounter to get the heart pumping a little faster

 

I have about 10-15 I've collected from family and friends over the years. Those Old Hickory knives are what I learned to sharpen with and they are also great knives to practice mods on.

 

@pertinux That was a great experience. Was the clicking noise made from the owl's beak clicking together, or was it making that sound from it's throat/diaphragm? Never heard that noise from an owl before.

 

So, I'm curious as to how the owl got there to begin with. The wildlife official said there was nothing wrong w/ the bird. I know literally nothing about owls, except that they're nocturnal (mostly), and that one wakes me up every morning, hooting from a tree about 50 yards away from my bedroom window.

 

Very cool story!

This guy hangs out in our backyard every so often:

 

Thanks for sharing the owl rescue story Sarah. That was a cool experience.


Great owl photo Nathan! Thanks for sharing.


Phil

 

I like seeing owls. There is a pretty big one I see before dawn as I walk to my car. I've never seen it during the daylight, so no idea what kind or how big.

 

Thanks, guys! It really was one of the best things I've ever experienced.

Regarding the owl's condition, and safety: informed guesses are that something happened to the owlet's mother. The rescuer was surprised to see the owl so 'late'; she says they usually drop out of their nests in February. [Baby owls fall/soar to the ground before they know how to fly "up," but then climb back up their tree to their nest-- usually. Google "baby owl climbs back to nest" for some great, awkward footage.*] The combination of the owlet's appearing late, away from a nest, and slightly malnourished-- and especially that the mother wasn't divebombing us to rip the backs of people's heads off(!)-- points to its mother being dead.

*Like this (Google search result, not mine/nearby):



The rescuer says that they will typically leave a baby owlet on the ground alone, but not in a situation like this with high people traffic (including a lot of kids on their way to and from school). It's just too risky for the owl and the people, a bad combination that could have disastrous results for both.

You know, I'm not exactly sure! They are capable of such amazing percussion, all kinds of ways. I assume(d) it's with the beak, but am now not sure how it could create such volume unless its tongue is involved. More research is indicated.

Nope! I loved learning that, in general, owls are just plain pissed. This one, especially so. The contrast between its demeanor and the rescuer's response was so... perfect.

I'd love to see 'em, if and when you can pull that together.

~ P.

 

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