Would Yoll fly away if I'd let her out of the window untethered? Until now I could only assume the answer to this question, knowing Yoll's personality. Most likely, she would've flown a certain distance, chosen a comfortable spot, then sat down and "idled", observing people that pass by. She'd only fly far if something would scare her, and then she probably wouldn't find her way back home.
This morning I woke up at around 09:00, and as I looked out of the window, I noticed that Yoll is gone. And she isn't anywhere in the vicinity. It's all quiet and empty. Titwillow are buzzing about, but no crows can be heard.
If no crows are heard, it means that Yoll left some time ago. And she probably flew far, otherwise there would have been a commotion outside. As I frantically got dressed and washed my face in cold water, I made up my plan of action: first scout the neighbourhood in expanding circles, observing bird activity, while at the same time calling all my friends and making up the text for "lost owl" flyers to be posted around. While tying my shoelaces, I heard a lazy "caw" outside. I poked my head out and spent a couple of minutes trying to find the the crow among the trees to the right of our house, and I found it in the end. Both the crow and Yolka, who blended almost perfectly with the sand coloured wall of a neighbouring house.
I called Yegor, explained the situation to him and asked him to buy and bring with him a 6-meter long fishing pole. He didn't have far to travel from the suburbs, and to stay and keep an eye on the owl, in case she decided to fly somewhere.
I went outside and walked around under Yolka's tree. She was sitting on a thin branch at a roughly 3-storey height, looking at me in a puzzled way. "What? Our windows are right there - very close. I'm technically still home, so leave me be."
Would she have come down on her own? Definitely not in a few hours. She thinks she's still home, and it resting time, she's full of food, so there's no need to go anywhere. And in the evening, she would've either jumped on someone's balcony or our windows. Or maybe not. Maybe she would've gone for the roof, and then she'd have lost her way back home.
After spending some time under the tree, imagining having to call 911 who would make a lot of noise, or climbing up the slippery tree unable to reach Yolka's branch, I remembered the old useless finishing poles I meant to throw away 10 years ago, but kept them because I'm a hoarder and was going to take them to my cottage. I couldn't actually remember if I took them there or not. Just like I couldn't remember it a month ago, when I had to catch a crow. I was going to buy one, but never made it to the Decathlon. So, I told Yoll to stay where she is and went back home to rummage in my storage room. And I found a 6-meter long pole!
Using cello tape, I attached a snap hook to the end of the pole. Yoll probably thought I looked like an idiot, but I managed to catch her jesses with the hook and pull her down, receiving an angry "uhoo" in response. For a lost bird, the jesses are the greatest danger, as they can get stuck on a branch or a fence, leaving the bird helpless.
Judging by the fact that there were no visible tracks in the snow, that Yoll was only watched by the most stubborn crow, and that Yoll herself was wet and humble, she probably got untethered around 05:00-06:00. I took her off the tree at 10:00. She didn't intend to fly away anywhere. She was fine where she was, and she had no problem being returned home.
Before returning home I wasn't in a panic, but after we got home my hands started shaking, and I felt like lying down for some time. All the different "what if" scenarios flooded my brain: cars, power lines, unkind people, factory danger zones and lots of other things.
There is always a risk that the bird might fly away. It's impossible to prepared for everything. Birds can fly away even from completely "airtight" flats. There were cases when hooligans smashed windows; when birds left through the front door or a window in the lobby; when strong winds knocked out window frames or enclosure roofs; when animals dug their way out, etc. I'm morally prepared for the possibility of Yoll flying away - there's a reason why she wears a tag with my phone number of her leg. Finding her should be easy, but one cannot be prepared for unfortunate accidents. So it's still scary.
Don't ask me why I have grey hairs.
Of course this situation only applies to Yolka. If Iva was in her place, she would already be in another town, possibly a meal for crows. Smaller owls are more active and wouldn't stay in one place, so crows are more likely to attack and try to kill them.