Today at CRC, the same hawk came after me. As I walked up to his enclosure, I sighed, then worked at psyching myself up to go inside. As I started to open the door, he buzzed it and I hesitated, then quickly got inside and closed the door behind me. I stood in the corner, waiting for all five birds to calm down. Red Shouldered Hawks are notoriously freaky. So I waited, then all of a sudden, he swooped right down at my head. I held my leather gloved arm up to block and he landed on my hand. I stood there in a little bit of shock, freaked out because I could really feel him holding on to me, not that he was hurting me, because of the glove, but I could feel his talons holding onto my hand. He stood there for a few seconds, then I shook my hand a little and he jumped down to the ground, and stayed there, just a foot away, while I cleaned his water dish and refilled it. He seemed so fearless. Man I hope we get to release him soon so I can avoid injury.
After I finished my cleaning duties, I asked Carly, the volunteer boss, if she wanted to show me something new. She asked if I wanted to "grab". Grab a bird? Of course I do! I was nervous but very excited. We needed to move four Barred Owls from one enclosure to another, so they can attend "mouse school", which means they learn how to hunt mice rather than being fed dead mice. So she showed me how to grab, then I got to practice. It was so cool. I will never forget holding on to the first owl, by the legs, cradling it sort of like a baby with my other hand, and looking into its eyes. I feel so fortunate to have figured out "what I want to do with my life" at 34 years of age.
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