BANGOR – A wayward owl that became trapped inside the Shop ‘n Save on Union Street late Saturday afternoon is back where it belongs.

“I took him out in the woods and let him go,” said Mahlon Wood, owner of a pest removal company in Stetson, who was called to the scene by Bangor police.

Using a net to capture the small saw-whet owl, Wood placed the bird in a specially designed travel box and drove back home.

Since the bird wasn’t hurt, Wood sent it on its way.

Estimated at 8 inches long, the brown-and-white bird apparently was brought into the store by an unidentified man, according to Lynn Cote, the supermarket’s evening manager.

The owl flew around for a little while, then perched on the express checkout sign over register No. 8, she said.

Customers were charmed by the little thing, which was in the store for about an hour.

“It was really quite enchanting,” said Cote. “Most customers were very concerned about its welfare.”