Countless frustrated golfers have had to cast aside their dignity and go fishing around in a water hazard to find a missing ball. This may be the first time someone went owl fishing at a golf course, or maybe anywhere.
The great horned owl is a beautiful bird of prey. Thanks to its mottled brown and white feathers, it effortlessly blends in with its wooded surroundings. It’s best known for its tufted and always very expressive ears; hence the name. Its large black and yellow eyes make for an unforgettable piercing gaze.
We can all be glad that golf course superintendent Craig Loving was on the scene when a great horned owl got into trouble in a water hazard at the Lost Creek Country Club in Austin, Texas. The unlucky bird had gotten itself tangled up in some fishing line. Fortunately, it managed to clamber out of the water and onto a perch but was unable to free itself. The poor owl spent twelve hours in this predicament! When Loving saw what was going on, he waded right in, armed with a pair of pliers. He approached the traumatized owl slowly and carefully. When he saw the fishing line was completely wrapped around its wing, he gingerly cut the line and then gently unwound it from the owl’s wing. The bird was now free but completely exhausted after the long ordeal. As Loving described it, “He kept slamming his beak down… But I kind of talked to it a little bit. So we got a shovel and took the shovel handle and used it as a perch, then I walked him out of there.”
Who knows, maybe the owl sensed that Craig Loving was there to help him. We’ve posted the video below for you.
What did you think of this dramatic owl rescue? Let us know in the Facebook comments. Be sure to like and share so your friends don’t miss this amazing animal rescue.
https://youtu.be/O5PJAucO_Z8
