LUCKY THE HERON

Heron at the Prince Rupert Wildlife Rehabilitation Shelter

Hi there, my name is Lucky. And guess why?

I was found by divers under the docks by the ocean. My feathers were all covered in oil and I was very sick. I was scared too and I had jammed myself in really tight in all the wood and the people had a hard time getting me out. I was brought to the shelter where Nancy and Gunther started in right away to wash the oil off of me. I had some nasty sores on my wings from being stuck under the docks. They used up all the hot water in their tank and had to heat up water on their wood stove. After I was all cleaned they wrapped me up with towels to dry off my feathers and put me under some wonderful heat lamps. They felt so good. I was really sick from eating the oil off my feathers to try and get clean and I didn't want to eat anything. Nancy and Gunther made up some really nice food from ground up fish and I think they snuck in some vitamins and stuff but I still wouldn't eat so they got a piece of tubing and squirted the stuff right down into my tummy. After a while I started to feel better and I decided to start eating myself so Nancy wouldn't put that silly hose down me any more. It took me a long time to get better but I did and one day they left the door open and I flew away home again. I was very "lucky".

This is me when I first arrived at the shelter. I was so cold and scared and sick it was just awful. Then they started to clean me up in the nice warm water.

Heron at the Prince Rupert Wildlife Rehabilitation Shelter

I am now dried out and warm but I am still not feeling well at all.

Nancy is insisting that I eat even though I don't want to. She is trying to give me my very favorite foods through that yucky tube.

Look at me flap my wings, I feel much stronger and not sick at all. I think I can fly.

I can, I can. Look at me. I'M FLYING

Oh look. I think they forgot to close the door. Is that the outside I can see?

It is the outside. I haven't been out there in a long time. I think I will sneak a little closer to the door and see if they notice me.

I'm at the door, oh my goodness look at it out there. I remember this. I feel wonderful. Do you think they will let me go?

YES, YES, YES. I'm outside and really flying again. I'm cured.

I'm flying right over Nancy and Gunthers' house. I can see the ocean. I can see home again. GOODBYE

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