Duluth woman rescues ensnared owl

[Lee Borgersen]

Duluth woman rescues ensnared owl

A northern saw-whet owl hangs suspended in a mesh net that surrounds the garden of Duluth's Kathy Paquette. (Submitted photo)

About 10 days ago, Kathy Paquette of West Duluth noticed something unusual about the mesh fence that surrounds her garden.

An owl was hanging in it.

The fence works well at keeping deer from eating produce from her garden, but the northern saw-whet owl apparently didn’t see it and became ensnared in the mesh.

Saw-whets are among the smallest of owls, just 6 or 7 inches high. Paquette carefully clipped the net and removed the owl. It appeared to have a problem with its wing, she said.

She took it to Duluth’s Peggy Farr, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Farr kept the bird overnight, and it appeared to be healthy. It flew well in an enclosure.

Farr called Paquette the next day and said she could pick up the owl and release it where it was found.

Paquette found the whole experience quite moving.

“Oh, my god,” she said. “That was a dream come true for me. I love animals. I like to save animals… I was in tears, I was so happy I found him before he was dead.”



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[Go Big Red!]

What a neat looking bird.