Wildlife photographer Chris Brinkman has traveled the globe documenting breathtaking landscapes and the animals that inhabit them for publications such as Smithsonian, Africa Geographic, and Outdoor Photographer Magazine. This spring, however, he didn’t have to go far to find memorable photos. His local Columbus neighborhood near Whetstone Park delivered a wildlife story about recovery, community compassion and resilience, complete with a happy ending.
Brinkman’s daily routine when he is in Columbus is to rise before dawn and spend time on trails in the park to observe and photograph the wildlife, including nesting Barred Owls. The owls have nested at Whetstone for five years in a row, he said, and he has photographed and documented four nesting pairs in the Clintonville area in the last year. “They are very adapted to the city,” he noted, “and park visitors also watch their progress from a distance.”
In early April, Brinkman noticed one morning that one of three Barred Owl branchlings in the family he was following appeared to be in some distress with a drooping wing. “I observed it over two days and could see it could not fly or get around,” he said. “I didn’t want to shock it and transport it for a minor issue, but I couldn’t find any rehabbers to come out and look at it.”
Brinkman finally reached Kristi Krumlauf of Ohio Wildlife Center’s Wildlife Hospital staff, who agreed to do an on-site assessment in the park. Krumlauf examined the young owl and determined it had a wing fracture. After admission to the Wildlife Hospital and a full medical exam with X-rays, the juvenile owl was diagnosed with a right compound proximal humerus fracture. The wing was cleaned and wrapped and the owl was treated with anti-inflammatory medication and oral antibiotics.
The following day, the owl underwent surgery and the Wildlife Hospital’s veterinarian, Melinda Marksz, placed pins and an external fixator to stabilize the broken wing. Weeks of care followed at the hospital with cage rest and physical therapy. As its recovery progressed, the owl was eventually transferred to the Pre-Release Facility to gain flight and hunting skills.
The owl’s initial transfer to the Wildlife Hospital set off a brief community reaction in the park as concerned residents stuck notes on tree branches near the owl’s nesting site asking about it. Brinkman also photographed the notes to completely round out the owl’s story. The dialogue sparked an idea for Brinkman to move people’s concern into action.
“Lots of people saw him the day he was hurt and they left notes after he went to the Wildlife Hospital asking about how they could help or donate to those caring for the owl,” Brinkman said. A friend of Brinkman who was also following the owl’s story left messages on the tree about the owl’s care and progress and assured the community the owl was recovering well.
Brinkman posted the story and updates on his personal social media and shared it to birding groups as well. Through a Facebook fundraising campaign, Brinkman ultimately raised about $700 in donations for the Wildlife Hospital.
“I just knew the community would be behind a campaign,” he said. “It truly shows we can do conservation in our own backyards.”
In early July when the owl was ready for release, Krumlauf returned it to the park site where Brinkman often spotted the parents and two siblings. The hope was that the owl would rejoin and be welcomed back to its family.
For several weeks Krumlauf provided supplemental feeding for the owl at the park and she and Brinkman observed it hunting and interacting with its siblings. Krumlauf noted the owl appeared to be increasing its independence from the others in its preparation to leave the parents’ territory, typical of what a juvenile owl will do in late summer. Barred Owls don’t migrate and the father stops caring for the young owls soon after they start flying.
For Krumlauf, the owl’s story is a unique case she won’t soon forget. “It is not too often as a staff member that you get to be so intimately involved in an animal’s story from start to finish and beyond,” she said. “It is truly inspiring that the community came together to get this owl the help it needed.” Brinkman, for one, will be looking for the nesting pair again in the spring in Whetstone’s ravines. He now knows who to call if he finds another animal in distress, he said. The owl’s rescue and rehabilitation showed how Ohio Wildlife Center can help write the happy ending.
Photos and video courtesy of Chris Brinkman
