Apparently, Even Falcons Know Shore Medical Center Is a Safe Place to Land

When one of Ocean City's working falcons went missing nearly a month ago, no one imagined his journey would end at Shore Medical Center.

Trico is one of the trained falcons from East Coast Falcons that helps keep nuisance birds off the Ocean City Boardwalk. When his tracking transmitter failed, his handlers searched for weeks - sightings were reported, but every lead went cold. As it turned out, Trico had likely spent much of that time perched high atop Shore Medical Center.

The mystery started to unravel when Credentialing Specialist Danette Q. noticed an unusually large bird peering through a fourth-floor window.

"Danette called a few of us over," said Valerie D., Shore's Director of Quality. "Soon enough, just like we do at Shore, everyone started working together to figure out what to do and get this bird help."

Word spread quickly, and employees from several departments came to take a look - including Mike S., Clinical Director of Shore's Pediatric Care Center. While the group tried to identify the bird, someone remembered seeing a Facebook post about a missing Ocean City Boardwalk falcon. Mike tracked down the post and called Erik Swanson, owner of East Coast Falcons. Within minutes, Erik and falconer Angelina were on their way to Shore.

Shore carpenter Mike K. and painter Steve L. escorted Angelina to a second-floor window, where she climbed onto a ledge with a whistle and a lure. She blew the whistle, tossed the lure onto the roof - and Trico flew right to her, clearly happy for the reunion.

After rewarding him with a bite of quail, Angelina couldn't safely climb back through the window while holding him, so she carefully passed Trico - perched on her falconry glove - to Steve, until she was back inside.

With the reunion complete, Trico and Angelina even took an elevator ride through Shore Medical Center before heading outside to meet Erik.

Looking back, Erik realized the hospital rooftop made perfect sense as Trico's month-long getaway. "It offers shaded ledges, fresh water condensation from the AC systems, one of the highest vantage points around to spot prey, and plenty of his favorite birds nearby - crows, sparrows, pigeons," he said. "In fact, Trico was pretty fat when we got him back. Now that I think about it, why didn't we think to look there?"

Before returning to duty on the Ocean City Boardwalk, Trico will get a veterinary checkup and slim back down to his ideal "flying weight."

This story just warms our hearts - not only because Trico found his way home, but because it speaks to the kind of care and attention to detail that we strive for at Shore. It may have been our building's unique qualities that led Trico here, but it was our staff's care and compassion that got him home safely.

For more photos and video of Trico's rescue, visit our Facebook page at https://www.Facebook.com/ShoreMedicalCenter.