There’s been a confirmed sighting of Willow, an “educational ambassador barn owl” that escaped April 30 from her handler at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center near Grants Pass.

According to a park spokesman, Wildlife Images staff members spotted Willow after receiving tips Tuesday about an owl perched in broad daylight near the Lil’ Pantry in Merlin, about three miles from the center.

“We have confirmed that it’s her,” spokesman Ben Maki said Thursday morning. “She’s still alive. She’s still going.”

“Obviously, she’s been able to hunt at some level. As active as she is right now, she’s certainly hunting.”

Early on in her disappearance, it was uncertain whether Willow could hunt. Born in human care, she has never been away from home before. She’s been a favorite with park visitors.

Willow escaped during a routine walk through the park with a handler. She had been secured by leather ankle wraps attached to cords that were secured to the handler’s glove, but a snap broke and she took off.

Workers subsequently scoured the neighborhood for days, but didn’t spot her until Tuesday.

One of the tips came from someone who posted a fuzzy picture of an owl on the center’s social media page. It turned out to be Willow, alighted on the frame of a vehicle trailer.

“Our staff has actually seen her,” Maki said. “They did actually got eyes on her shortly after that posting.”

“We just weren’t able to get to her. She is a talented owl.”

Traps have been set up to capture her.

The photo showed that Willow appears to still be wearing leather ankle straps, but not cords that usually hang from the straps.

“It appears she found a way to take it off,” Maki said, referring to the cords.

According to a statement posted by the center, Willow doesn’t have the same skills as a wild owl and should not be left to fend for herself.

“If you look [at the photo] she’s sitting on a trailer or trashcan and has been seen a few times swooping in front of cars and flying around during the day, which is not normal for a nocturnal owl,” the message stated. “She’s just too used to people and not cautious enough for us to believe she’d survive long term without human intervention.”