Photo courtesy of Paul Armstrong and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation AuthorityPhoto courtesy of Paul Armstrong and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority
Midwestern

Popular Owl Prowl expands to two dates

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority's very popular fall Owl Prowl is expanding this year.

Conservation Educator Denise Iszczuk says they'll be hosting one Owl Prowl at the Morrison Dam on the normal date of November 5th, but they'll also be hosting an Owl Prowl at the Rock Glen Conservation Area in Arkona on October 22nd. Iszczk says it's the first time have hosted two events and the first time. Iszczuk says they've limited the number of people that can attend at each location so the total number of people will be the same as in the past, but with two smaller groups, they're hoping to improve their chances of actually attracting an owl.

Iszczuk says “I would say about sixty to seventy per cent of the time, we're able to hear an owl and then maybe about fifty per cent of the time, we see an owl and there are lots of different owls that live around here, but we focus on the Eastern Screech Owl.”

Iszczuk says “Owls are very territorial and, by nature, if they hear something that interests them, the call of another owl, which we can play using various devices, they'll come in and want to see what's going on. They might not call, they may just, kind of, hang in the trees.” She adds, owls are very quiet flyers, but they will have 25 pairs of eyes looking for them, so the chances are pretty good that they'll see one.

Iszczuk says their hope is that the Owl Prowl will be a unique experience for the people attending it as well as a learning experience about how they can protect owls. She adds, they're also looking at it as a fund-raising event to raise money that will go back into conservation projects. Iszczuk also says they'll have special guest at the Morrison Dam only and that's the Mountsberg Raptor Centre and they will be bringing live owls to the Morrison Dam Owl Prowl. More information about the Owl Prowls can be found on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority web site.

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