Rehabbed Snowy Owl released

MARQUETTE — It was another success story for the Chocolay Raptor Center, and all it took was a little bit of Faith. Faith, the aptly–named snowy owl, was released back into the wild on Saturday after being rehabilitated over the last two months.

It was a bittersweet moment for Lynn Erickson, who found an injured Faith before Christmas in Bark River.

“It was unbelievable, so many people were involved, our neighbors, my son, my husband, just to get her rescued,” she said. “And Jerry [Maynard] is amazing, he took care of her, he was so excited, he kept us updated.”

While rehab birds are normally not named, Lynn suggested the name “Faith” because of her faith that the bird would survive. And survive she did.

“The fact that she was able to survive is amazing. And to get to come up here and see her be so feisty, you know she’s going to make it. You just know. I’m just so thankful that she made it. She’s beautiful and I hope she lives a long life,” siad Erickson.

Of the six snowy owls to be brought in to the Raptor Center this winter, Faith is the only one to have survived.