Sunday, October 24, 2010

An Owl-O-Ween Evening

An injured and rehabilitated Barred Owl gives me the staredown as he wonders how the heck he flew all the way back to the Middle Ages.

I attended an evening to celebrate "A Place Called Hope," a local center specializing in the rescue and care of native raptors and corvids. It took place at the Nature Center at the state beach in town, under a glorious orange full moon. Children were encouraged to wear Halloween costumes as did the volunteers explaining the birds they brought and the work they do for them. There were five outdoor "stations" with four types of native owls, and a really cool "pet" crow named Crowe. There was a "bone" box for little kids to check out, and refreshments with a holiday theme. Each station had one person with a different owl, explaining a little about its species as well as the individual bird's plight. Most of the rehabilitated raptors are freed after they're well, but quite a few can never again live safely in the wild, and hence the need for a shelter for them. 

This place does great work and is completely volunteer and depends on donations. Most of the birds present tonight had been struck by cars of all things, and were the ones that cannot be released due to their permanent injuries. That didn't stop them from mugging for the cameras, and generally being the cutest birds of prey I've ever seen up close. Two of the varieties, full grown, were no larger than your average Robin or Cardinal. I didn't realize that there were owls that small. They also had pre-recorded "songs" and calls of the owls, a nice touch.

For more information on "A Place Called Hope," click this link and then click on "residents" to see images of their owls, crows and ravens a bit more clearly than my night shot above.

 I have to thank Mary for asking me to go with her, I just never seem to know what's going on beyond my yard and it was really a fascinating event.

11 comments:

  1. Owls are amazing animals, a friend of mine was a major donator for one of the major Spotted Owl foundations.
    He gave me a sticker and I placed it on my coin dispenser, I thought it would give me good luck. I was around 8 at the time.

    My dad having fine dexterity skills which he also uses in his professional life, carved owls from birch wood and then would take one of those heated carving knives and create unique textures.

    Have you seen the exhibit at the Bronx Zoo?

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  2. Believe it or not, I've never been to the Bronx Zoo! I really ought to go there one of these days.

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  3. btw, I bet your father created some pretty cool owls that way! I hope you still have one or two at least...

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  4. WOODY, HOW COOL.WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIS CRAVINGS.ETC.
    CASEY, I'M HOPING YOUR HEADACHE IS MUCH BETTER. WHEN I WAS IN MY YOUNGER YEARS I USED TO GET HEADACHES SO BAD SOUNDS IN THE ROOM WOULD MAKE IT 100 TIMES WORST. I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO BED AND DARKEN THE ROOM I'D MEDICATE MYSELF UP, PACKED MY HEAD IN A COUPLE OF TOWELS AND GO TO SLEEP. IT WAS THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET RID OF IT.
    I LOVE THE OWL POST ABOVE. YEARS AGO I PAINTED AN OWL WITH Q TIPS. IN FACT I DID TWO. ONE FOR ME AND ONE FOR MY MOM. THEY REALLY TURNED OUT GREAT.AS I'VE SAID BEFORE,I'M A GIVER NOT A TAKER AND I GAVE MY PAINTING TO A LADY THAT LIVED ACROSS THE STREET. SHE COLLECTED OWLS. NOW I'D GIVE ANYTHING TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE PICTURES BACK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN TO MOM'S AFTER SHE DIED. MY BROTHER SOLD EVERYTHING. I WOULDN'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN DOING A COPY.OH WELL, TODAY IS ANOTHER DAY TO DREAM.

    GRANNY

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  5. I will take some pictures of his work and send them over to the Big C. :)

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  6. WOODY THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

    GRANNY

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  7. Owls... evoked memory:

    "A wise old owl lived in an oak
    The more he saw the less he spoke
    The less he spoke the more he heard
    Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?"

    The above of course has no bearing whatsoever on blogs, blogging or commenting. lol

    Everyone have a happy Sunday and be well.

    Granny, thanks for the nice note.

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  8. I"d like to see them too. That would be great, Woody.

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  9. I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT I'M A WISE OLD OWL.

    GRANNY

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  10. Thanks to " Owl-O-Ween , " you introduced my wife and I to A Place Called Hope where we have made a donation.
    Thought you might like to know.

    Thank you for all the great work .

    AP

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  11. AP: Thanks so much for helping that organization and thanks so much for commenting here and letting me know. You made my day!

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