Story and photos by Joanie Christian
I had a very unusual experience a few months ago that very recently came full circle..the opportunity to both see and help save a very rare pure white leucistic great horned owl.
If you are interested in learning more about this modern day unicorn's story, I wrote a two part series about the experience that has been published in the March and April 2024 editions of the North Columbia Monthly. The April edition has just gone out to newstands in NE WA today.
You can read the online version here:
Thank you to the many people who were a part of the village' who collectively helped save this absolutely incredible owl. You know who you are, and you were all vital to the final outcome. <3 This was an extraordinary experience I am not likely to witness again in my lifetime. I will always consider it a privilege and honor to have been, for just a short while, the 'guardian of a unicorn'.
Catching birds with a net isn't easy. I had to do it without practise and I'm really not good at it. And an angry owl wasn't part of the equation.
I'm not sure if you read the story, but it does go into this a good bit.
Leucistic animals can have problems with vision and hearing, 2 very important things for an owl. It sounds like this owl had issues with one of both, as they witnessed it having extreme troubles feeding. Owls get most of their fluids through eating the food whole, so this owl was emaciated, dehydrated, and possibly partially deaf and blind, but it still took a few days for them to catch it.
I'm glad they were able to catch it and save it though. Even weakened, I'm sure these guys have one heck of a grip and wickedly sharp talons!
If anyone hasn't read it, I do recommend it. It's a fun story and has a happy ending. I wish there was a follow up on it since it's such a unique bird!
Yes, I have read it. It makes me happy when there are people out there who care, recognise that something could be going wrong and take action.
It was a nice story. I like when there's a bit of background to go with these photos, let alone a feature.
It's easy to look at photos and see some of these animals as NPCs, but they're all out there living their unique lives with some amazing stories. I like getting a window into their world.
You're absolutely right. Beautiful pictures are one thing, but background information helps people to find an emotional connection to the subject. And while pictures might fade in your memory over time, a story can stay with you and touch you on a deeper level.