NATICK, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Natick Home Depot has had a special winged visitor for a good part of the year, and both customers and employees alike are loving her.
Ellie is a barred owl that has been living at the Natick store's garden center for months now.
“We’re out here in the middle of the winter and we saw it hanging out in the roof rafters here,” an employee said. “Next thing you know, it was just a part of our family for months and months and months.”
The store brought in a wildlife expert to check on the bird. They confirmed that Ellie was a girl, contrary to what the store initially believed, leading to her name change from Ollie. The expert also determined that because she has a safe way in and out of the shop and that she’s not bothering anyone, the owl is completely fine to be left alone.
Ellie is a welcome presence to the garden center, especially because of her knack for catching rodents between her talons.
Ellie in the rafters of the Natick Home Depot Garden Center
The employee mentioned how the warmer weather means that Ellie isn’t there as consistently as she was in the colder months, but she still is around all the time.
“In the beginning, she was here every single day, now with the better weather she comes every couple of days, but she’s always here,” he said.
He talked about how Ellie has become part of the Home Depot family, with there even being pictures of her on the staff board.
“You know, everyone just seems to like it and come out here and see it, customers enjoy looking at her, she’s fun,” the employee said.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.