Cheeky Little Monkeys
by Parvaneh Holloway
photos by Richard Holloway
IT HAS BEEN THE MOST MAGICAL THREE WEEKS
Three weeks ago, our friend Chester found a baby owl crying by a tree trunk. Panicking for it’s safety we decided to call 911, and a wonderful police officer in Saugerties contacted Ellen Kalish from Ravensbeard Wildlife Centre. Ellen asked us to keep an eye on the owl until she could come to us. When she arrived she gave him some food and took him to Ravensbeard to check for disease and injuries.
Day 1, first owlet
The next day Ellen brought the owlet back and looked unsuccessfully for the nest in the area where the baby was found. Since we could hear the parents, Ellen felt if we put a wooden nest house up in a tree nearby and placed the baby in it that they would hear him calling and resume their parenting. We also left some extra food in the nest box just in case. Even though we never saw the parents, the food was consumed the next morning so we were reassured they had found their baby and were feeding it.
Putting the owlet into a homemade nest box
After a few days, there was no sign of the baby anywhere. Very distressed, I decided to look for him instead of going to my yoga class. Ellen was also on her way over as was Glenn Proudfoot, a professor at Vassar College. Glenn has many years of experience studying owls in the field and came to help us find the baby owl and hopefully locate the original nest.
Owlet #2
Hours later, after going farther into the woods, I suddenly spotted the baby owl on the ground by a tree. Richard was once again ready with his camera and captured this happy moment. Ellen arrived just in time to join in the excitement. Fearlessly, she scooped up the owl and took him to the studio to be warmed and fed.
By this time, Glenn had also arrived and the four of us went into the woods to try to locate the nest. Glenn is able to make every owl sound and whenever we heard a call, we never knew if it was him or the owls!
After an exam and some food, we put the baby back into the box
Suddenly, to our surprise, we found a second baby owl, even smaller than owlet Number 1! Ellen brought it back to the studio, fed both owls and then put them in the wooden nest house together. We could still see and hear the parents and were hoping that they would take charge.
Two little owlets warming up and fed after finding on the ground
We continued to leave food daily to help supplement the owlets. Number 1 was a sassy, nosey parker and continually peeked out of the nest house. He eventually jumped ship and went on a walkabout. Again, I searched all afternoon; Ellen came that night to help look but we couldn’t find the cheeky little monkey.
Monkey #2 peering out of the box
Worried for it’s safety, she intended to take baby #2 back to Ravensbeard. The parents had other ideas however, and after hearing their objections Ellen put her back into the box. Richard and his friend Chris put deer netting around the base of the tree to protect her if she jumped ship as well.
Monkey #1 40’ up
Richard and I woke up at the crack of dawn the following day to continue the search for Monkey # 1. A few hours later we found him sitting 40 feet up a sloping dead tree. Excited and happy, we let Ellen and Glenn know he’d found his way to safety.
At this point we felt certain that that the parents were feeding them. We were also certain they objected to us being near the sloping tree!
Our sleepless nights began when Monkey # 2 started sitting outside the nest box, bit too close to the ground for our comfort!
And then, she too jumped over the netting, disappeared and the search was on again. Ellen was back to help and we found the second little Monkey. Literally following in the footsteps of her brother, she had found her way to safety up a tree near Monkey # 1.
Mom or Dad watching over
The parents were flying all around telling us to leave the woods. We obliged and left to enjoy a hot cup of tea – although, by now needing something stronger… we settled for the tea!
We heard the babies crying for food and the next time we checked on the baby owls they had climbed farther up the tree and were no longer visible to us.
Quietly sitting in the studio, we listened to the cries of the owlets and watched the parents fly about. They are now hidden from us and the parents have taken total charge. No longer taking our food offerings we feel they are truly on their own.
They’re telling us to let them be; they are safe.
This has been the most magical three weeks. Thanks to Ellen's care and guidance and Glenn's knowledge we have had the privilege of being up close and personal with these beautiful creatures. We miss their sweet faces but are happy to know that they are once again safe under the protection of their parents. We now have to be satisfied with occasionally hearing the babies cry out to the parents for food.
Monkey #2 ready to ascend to the treetops
We are sharing these beautiful photos in the sequence in which they occurred. Richard has captured many wonderful moments with these babies and we shall treasure these memories and the wonderful experience forever.
Perhaps next year we shall see more babies. Perhaps…..but hopefully fewer sleepless nights for us all.
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In My Opinion
Photos and Text by Maxim Alter
Student of SUNY New Paltz
Owls rescued and released by Ravensbeard
After given the opportunity to visit Ellen Kalish and see what she does at Ravensbeard Wildlife Center, I can honestly say that I am truly impressed. Ellen has devoted a great amount of her time, resources and heart doing something that is incredibly benevolent. As a wildlife rehabilitator, Ellen has cared for many injured and orphaned animals from around her area and has provided them the help they need in order to return back into the wild. She has gone through extensive training to do what she does, and it shows.
During my visit, I got to see many different kinds of birds, including some adorable screech owls. I had never seen anything like it. I even got to take part in one of the most incredible experiences of my life: a release. Ellen, along with many friends and members of Ravensbeard, released two owls from Barry Knight’s Fire Tower. Watching these now healthy and injury-free birds spread their wings and fly off into their natural habitat was an astonishing experience and I am sure very rewarding for Ellen.
She has great respect for nature and I have no doubt that her attitude could inspire anyone, including myself. I hope that Ellen continues to have the finances she needs to maintain Ravensbeard and support her great cause. This experience has really opened my eyes to the amount of animals that need our care. Ellen deserves a lot of praise for what she does, and I honestly can’t imagine a world without people like her and organizations like Ravensbeard.
Sienna our educational Red-tailed Hawk
Ellen posing with Sienna
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