There was a homecoming at Whippoorwill Farm in West Tisbury on Wednesday for a rescued barn owl.

In February, Rebecca Sanders, who works at Whippoorwill Farm, found an owl lying in a farm path, with crows perched on him and pecking at him. After discovering the distressed owl, Ms. Sanders chased the crows away and watched as the owl flew shakily into the woods across Old County Road. She then followed him, chasing the crows away again, and eventually tucking him under her arm and carrying him back to the farm.

“I took him into the greenhouse, offered him some water, and seeing that he was unable to drink, took him to Andrew Woodruff, the farm’s owner,” Ms. Sanders said. “We pulled up some information online and learned about re-hydrating rescued barn owls. On a website, we found there was a Barn Owl Conservancy in the UK. It recommended re-hydrating the owl with a sugar water solution given with an eyedropper.”

Andrew Woodruff, Rebecca Sanders, Wilfred the owl, and Stephanie Ellis.

Ray Ewing

Andrew Woodruff, Rebecca Sanders, Wilfred the owl, and Stephanie Ellis.

Ray Ewing

After Ms. Sanders and Mr. Woodruff spent the night re-hydrating the owl, Ms. Sanders took him off-Island the next day and drove to Wild Care in Eastham, which specializes in wildlife assistance. The owl spent the last month there recovering from apparent rat poisoning.

“At the center, they took the owl into the quarantine barn right away to test for avian flu and possible poisoning,” Ms. Sanders said. “They also verified that he was a barn owl, probably a male, and that he would need to quarantine for several days. They told us if he recovered, that we should be sure to get him back to the Vineyard because barn owls thrive there, but not on the Cape.”

The owl was put on vitamin K for possible rodent poisoning, and moved into a small aviary where he could be closely observed and fed live prey. After a full recovery, he was moved to a large outdoor elliptical aviary so his flight pattern could be observed. Finally, this week, he was pronounced well enough to return to the Island.

“We were going to pick him up, then they thought they had a flight for him on Cape Air, but that didn’t work out,” Ms. Sanders said. “Instead, Stephanie Ellis, from the Wild Care center, brought him back to the Vineyard by car.”

Andrew Woodruff prepares new home in the barn.

Ray Ewing

Andrew Woodruff prepares new home in the barn.

Ray Ewing

On Wednesday afternoon, West Tisbury friends of wildlife gathered at Whippoorwill Farm to welcome the owl home. In preparation, a long ladder had been erected by Andrew Woodruff, with help from his father, Robert, at one side of the old barn on the farm property. Another shorter ladder was put up inside the barn and preparations were made to create a cozy barn owl home.

When Ms. Ellis arrived from the Wild Care center on Wednesday afternoon the nocturnal owl was sleeping happily in a black box in the back seat of her car.

“You and Nantucket have the perfect environment for barn owls,” Ms. Ellis said to the gathered crowd. “You have more farms, shorter trees and more old barns than we have on the over-developed Cape these days. A few years ago, it was reported that the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown was the best place in the Cape and Islands for barn owls.”

Ms. Ellis lifted the owl out of her car and gently woke him up. The owl spread his white-lined wings as if to show off for the nature-lovers assembled.

Gathered wildlife lovers cheer the successful return.

Ray Ewing

Gathered wildlife lovers cheer the successful return.

Ray Ewing

Then Ms. Ellis climbed the ladder inside the barn, carrying her sleeping patient to what, it is hoped, will be his new happy Island home.

After dark, she said, he would wake up and be ready for an outdoor hunt for his dinner. Come dusk, the onlookers were told, Andrew Woodruff would climb the large ladder outside the barn to open a hole to let the barn owl (now named Wilfred) out for a healthy night in the wild.

More pictures.