“I had one chance to make that catch.”
This past April, Long Island animal rescuer Karenlynn Stracher received a call from a local veterinary office about a large bird struggling in the parking lot. As soon as she heard the animal needed help, she got in her car and headed over.
On the way, Stracher received another update. Some Good Samaritans had tried to catch the injured bird, an osprey, but their attempt frightened him. The bird managed to fly across the street, and by the time Stracher arrived, he had disappeared.
But Stracher refused to leave without finding him.
She drove around the area, searching carefully for any sign of the bird. When she noticed a police officer conducting a traffic stop, she stopped to tell him about the injured osprey and asked him to keep an eye out.
That decision made all the difference.
A few hours later, the officer called Stracher with good news. He had spotted the osprey in someone’s backyard, perched on top of a pile of wood scraps.
Stracher knew the bird was in bad shape and worried he might not survive the night without help. She drove to the location and quickly assessed the situation.
The rescue would not be easy. Stracher had rushed over without all of her usual equipment, and the unstable woodpile made it difficult to use a net safely. She knew she might only get one chance to catch him.
Moving carefully, Stracher approached the osprey from behind and lowered the net over him. The bird was exhausted but still frightened and defensive, snapping at her as she tried to secure him.
Because she didn’t have her regular rescue gloves, Stracher improvised. She took off her sweatshirt and wrapped it around the osprey, protecting both herself and the bird while she moved him into a carrier.
Once he was safely contained, Stracher brought the osprey to Animal Nation, where veterinarians began treating him for avian influenza.
Thanks to Stracher’s determination, and the police officer who helped locate him, the osprey now has a chance to recover. With proper care, rescuers hope he will eventually be strong enough to return to the wild.