Sadly, it’s fairly common for small animals like frogs, snakes and spiders to wind up in pool filters. But when the party guests lifted the lid, they were shocked by the sight of a huge red-shouldered hawk.
As if that weren’t scary enough for the hawk, while he was in the pool, he got sucked into the tiny pool filter. As soon as the party guests discovered the hawk, they called SWR, who sent someone right away to help with the dire situation.
Thankfully, though, this hawk’s rescuer arrived just in time.
“During the removal of the hawk from the pool filter, [he] was not responsive, extremely tired [and] soaking wet,” Buckles told The Dodo.
Even though it was such a hot day, when the hawk arrived at the avian rehabber, he was shivering. Being stuck in the pool filter and fighting to keep his head above water had been such a harrowing experience that he was barely hanging on. But the avian rehabbers lovingly nursed him back to life.
“As the rescuer put on gloves and held the hawk up towards the sky, [he] sat for a moment on the glove, taking in the surroundings. Then, the hawk looked into the rescuer’s eyes as though to say thank you, and then took flight,” Buckles said.
This hawk’s recovery story touched his rescuers deeply.
“The rescuer said it was so serene to see the hawk fly so strongly and freely,” Buckles said. “[He] had a second chance at life.”