A short-eared owl that landed, exhausted, on a North Sea oil platform has been safely released back into the wild after a remarkable mid-ocean rescue.
The female owl was discovered last week on the Noble Patriot platform, located about 180 miles (290 km) off Shetland. Offshore worker Sam Crowe, 30, from Scarborough, spotted the bird struggling and decided to step in.
“I was heading out for my shift when I noticed her,” Crowe told BBC Scotland News. “At first, I tried to catch her but she was too quick. I mentioned it to a few of the lads, and after a few attempts, I finally managed to get hold of her.”
Realizing the owl had no chance of survival on the platform, Crowe gently placed her in a box, giving her raw chicken and water until she could be evacuated.
“I made her a little home and kept her safe,” he said. “The rescue team came later, picked her up, and she was flown ashore. A brilliant ending to the story — that owl’s a little superstar.”
Once back on land, the owl was taken to Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary in Shetland, where staff described her as being in a “state of exhaustion” after likely being blown off course during Storm Amy — the first named storm of the season.
Winds reached nearly 100 mph, toppling trees and damaging buildings across northern Scotland. Experts believe the owl was caught in the storm while migrating across the North Sea from Scandinavia.
“She probably set out on her first migration and got caught in terrible weather,” explained Phil Harris, a local ornithologist who helped nurse her back to health. “Birds often mistake the lights of rigs and ships for land and try to rest there. But usually, that’s where their journey ends — they’re too weak to continue and there’s no food.”
Thanks to Crowe’s quick thinking, this owl’s story ended differently. After three days of rest, warmth, and plenty of food — including a generous supply of mice — she regained her strength and was released on Monday.
“With the chicken she’d already eaten and a few good meals here, she put on weight quickly,” Harris said. “She’s one very lucky owl.”