Wayward Oriole to Catch
Flight Home to B.C. In East Since 2015
“OTTAWA- A Bullock’s oriole that landed in
eastern Ontario in 2015 will finally be flying home to British Columbia- by
plane.
The little western bird drew national
attention when it arrived in Pakenham, Ont., in December 2015-likely after
being blown off its migration course.
Bird lovers flocked to the area to witness
the rare sighting…Ray Holland found it…under a tree & took it to the Ottawa
Valley Wild Bird Care Centre in January 2016.
The female bird was diagnosed with
dehydration, weakness, & hypothermia, & lost a toenail to frostbite.
A few months later, after it had fully
recovered, efforts, began to get it home, but because the bird had begun to
molt, its return had to be postponed.
The bird care centre says the oriole’s
long-awaited journey home on an Air Canada flight is set to begin…at the Ottawa
Airport.
Bullock’s orioles are found in the
southernmost part of B.C. & Alberta, but their main range is in the U.S…
Air Canada employee Dave Starke will
accompany the oriole to Vancouver & the airline has secured her a spot in
the passenger cabin.
BC Wildlife Rescue Association will give
the oriole time to adapt in an outdoor flight cage where it will build muscle
& acclimatize to outdoor temperatures again.
It’s hoped the bird will be released after
a week or so, at which point it will fly itself to the southern U.S. or
northern Mexico, its native wintering grounds.”
The
Canadian Press
Aug.
16/2017
The
Montreal Gazette 
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