Perched high on a branch, ‘Yota’ the barred owl, sat still, his feathers blending seamlessly with the tree bark. Just weeks ago, he was badly injured after crashing into a window at a Squamish car dealership.
But today, his journey came full circle—he was free, released at the Skwelwil'em Squamish Estuary this sunny afternoon.
“See how they blend in?” said wildlife rescue volunteer Tim Cyr, watching the owl settle into his surroundings. “If you didn’t know he was there, you’d never notice.”
At 2:17 p.m., Yota returned to the wild after weeks of recovery, watched by Cyr and Erik Yaremkewich, Squamish Toyota service advisor who first found the owl.
As Yota lingered on the branch, calmly surveying his surroundings, Cyr watched with quiet satisfaction.
“I'm glad to see he has a fresh start on life,” he told The Squamish Chief.
From collision to recovery
On New Year's Eve, Squamish Toyota employee Yaremkewich was starting his morning shift when he made an unusual discovery—an owl lying motionless near the dealership’s window.
“The receptionist found him first,” Yaremkewich recalled.
“He was just on the ground, not moving much. Then when we tried to check on him, he suddenly tried to fly and crashed into the window again.”
Realizing the owl was in trouble, Yaremkewich knew exactly who to call.
“I called Tim right away. Everyone knows Tim—he's the guy to go to when an animal needs help,” he said.
Within 20 minutes, Cyr arrived, carefully securing the injured bird in a box. The owl, later named ‘Yota’ in a nod to the dealership where he was found, appeared dazed and weak.
Recognizing the severity of Yota’s injuries, Cyr took him to OWL (Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society in Delta. Experts at the facility determined the owl had suffered significant head trauma but, thankfully, no broken bones.
A swift and steady recovery
Yota spent several weeks in care at OWL, gradually regaining strength.
Cyr, who has been involved in wildlife rescues for years, retrieved him today (Feb. 10) at Porteau Cove from a volunteer who had driven him back from Delta.
“This is the second owl I’ve released in this exact spot,” Cyr noted. “And he flew to the same tree as the last one.”
The release was seamless—Yota perched himself in the tree, unfazed by the small crowd watching from below.
“He probably just needs a moment to feel free,” Cyr observed.
“The other owl I released here [before] sat on the tree for about half an hour before flying away. I left, and he was still up there.”
A second chance
“I love wildlife, and they need all the help they can get,” he said simply.
His passion for rescuing injured birds began around four or five years ago, and he has since become the go-to person in the community for wildlife rescues.
“Most people contact me now if they find an injured bird,” Cyr said. “Any raptors, they all go to OWL. It’s a fantastic place—so many dedicated people are involved. The lady who brought me this owl today? She drove it from Delta to Porteau Cove and still had three other owls in her car to deliver.”
“You're on your own now, buddy,” Cyr said to Yota.
And with that, Yota, the little owl who began 2025 with an uncertain fate, had a second chance to soar.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief's Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
.png;w=120;h=114;mode=crop)
