06-27-2021 Skye is Kidnapped
Just as soon as I wrote the last update that the juvies have been doing well and staying out of trouble, more drama ensued. Late in the day on Friday June 25, a young falcon was seen on the sidewalk near Zoetis. A concerned person noticed the bird and left a message at my house. Unfortunately, I was away for the evening and did not hear the message until after 11 PM, at which point it was too dark to look for the bird. At first light, I was looking for him and poking around all the shrubbery near where he had been seen without success. A security guard who had seen me looking stopped on her way out of work and informed me that someone had driven up last night and picked up the bird and drove off! I knew this was not anyone familiar with the falcons, because neither I nor the DNR had not gotten any calls. Was our young falcon kidnapped? The security guard was kind enough to find out that the license plate number of the car could be identified on their security footage, and I soon had a car description and license plat number, but no bird. A DNR Conservation Officer was provided the information to follow up. Thinking that the person who picked up the bird might have contacted a rehabilitator or animal clinic, Andrea Z and I started making inquiries without success. Because the Conservation Officer was stretched thin and covering several counties by himself, DNR biologist Mark Mills gave me the go-ahead to contact the police. Because it is illegal to be in possession of a wild animal, especially an endangered species, without appropriate permits, we hoped that Kalamazoo Public Safety might be able to help. Officer Casey Crooks answered the call and was initially (but understandably) a bit perplexed by my convoluted tale about a wild bird and why the Kalamazoo police should be involved. But she was soon on board, found the information she needed and was off and running. She made contact with the person who had picked up Skye and in no uncertain terms made it clear that the bird needed to be returned. And, in short order, the bird was brought to her at the police station, and we were reunited. I certainly never want to run afoul of the law with her on my case. I think we need to induct her into the Peregrine Patrol! Skye has returned to Wildside Rehabilitation to make sure he is doing well before he takes to the air again. We learned that he is eating, but not flying very well, so it sounds like he will need some time before he returns home. There are many folks who had a role in keeping this little accident-prone bird safe. He most likely collided with a building and was stunned when he was seen on the sidewalk. We are thankful that he was picked up by a concerned person and was safe overnight. The security guard and Officer Crooks who went out of their way to get Skye reunited with the DNR and his friends at rehab. It was an unusual situation, and we have lots to be grateful for.
