Great horned owl released back on Mercer Island

The great horned owl that was found previously tangled in a soccer net on Jan. 11 in Homestead Park made a full recovery, and was released back on Mercer Island on Jan. 19 by PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society). Harold Abell rescued the owl while walking in the park with his German shepherd. He and his wife, Kellee, transported the owl to PAWS in Lynnwood. “She was released during a beautiful sunset on Mercer Island. We watched as she flew up into a nearby tree, surveyed the area for a few minutes, and then took off deeper into the forest with a couple silent and powerful wing beats,” according to PAWS naturalist Jeff Brown. Photo courtesy of Kris Tsujikawa