Thermal, the red-tailed hawk fledgling's true story

"Hello mister, my name is 'Thermal' and I'm a Red-Tailed Hawk. I'm pretty young and just fell out of my nest! I bonked my head and sprained my leg because no one has yet taught me how to fly. I see that you offer flight instruction so I've hobbled into your office and want to enroll in one of your training programs. Can you teach me how to fly?? Both of my parents are REALLY good at flying and soaring, and I hope to be as good as they are when I grow up! They told me that you humans control big white birds that fly around our home, but compared to us hawks, you're pathetic at soaring. So, I'll make a deal with you: If you teach me how to fly, my Mother and Father will teach you how to soar like a Red-tailed Hawk!  Is it a deal?? I'm just going to stand here for as long as it takes to get an answer- or for someone to help put me back up into my nest. Your friend, 'Thermal' the Red-tailed Hawk"

On Monday June 1 at about 6PM, I was working on the computer at the office, writing up invoices, when I felt as if someone -or something- was watching me. I looked up to see "Thermal" looking directly at me. He really seemed to be confused or disoriented, and I felt that he was purposely looking for some help. We made eye contact for a few minutes, and both of us determined that the other wasn't a threat. I then grabbed my camera out of my backpack behind the counter and got the shots. One of the other glider pilots had seen Thermal hop through the doorway, and he and I talked through open windows about what to do while trying not to do anything to spook Thermal. I began to search on the Internet for raptor centers, and began making phone calls. The other glider pilot also started searching on his Internet/Phone device. Soon we had three numbers for three centers so he called one, I called one, and the woman on the phone with me hung up and called one. We got hold of a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Paicines, just off Panoche Valley Rd. Within about a half hour, a woman came out and rescued Thermal by gently draping a small towel over him and scooping him up very slowly and gently. His talons were stuck in the carpet briefly, but she soon freed them and they put him into a transport box. They will observe him, and when he's determined to be healthy, they'll release him back into his nesting environment. As soon as Thermal is all healed up, we at Hollister Gliding Club look forward to helping him reach his full potential as one of Nature's excellent natural aviators!! And in return we hope to eventually learn from he and his parents how to be better soaring pilots as evidently they don't think too much of us and our big, white birds.

And everybody lived happily ever after. (Except for the Hawks' prey.)

Happy Soaring,
Quest

                                               July 5 update:

Hi everybody,

Lynn Shippley volunteered to make some phone calls to check up on our little red-tailed hawk friend "Thermal" who wandered into the office about a month ago. Here is what Lynn posted to various interested parties within the Hollister Airport community.

"Thermal" is a "she"!

Happy soaring,
Quest

"Thermal" has recovered from her injuries and is presently in a conditioning
pen with three friends of her approximate age. She's been flying for about
three weeks now and is putting her efforts into strengthening for flight in
the wild. The Wildlife Rehab Center feels that she'll be ready for release
in two to four weeks.

Lynn Shippley
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