Re: Successful Owl Trip
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Sat, 31 Oct 1998 04:37:22 -0500
Leslie,
You're right--in any group larger than one, there will likely be a malcontent.
I think part of the problem is the incredible wildlife footage one can see on
television these days, like the closeups in the Wild America series. People
begin to expect that what they see on the tube is what they will be able to
see anywhere once they stir their butts off the couch.
Nonetheless, sounds like your walk for owls was great and it brings back
memories of the first few owl walks Fran and I went on. Just hearing these
magnificent birds is always a pleasure to me--seeing them is always an
unexpected bit of icing on the cake! Way to go!!!!
Best,
Norm
> Hi All:
> Sleep eludes me, here I am. Why fight it?
> All the recent publicity efforts made by the Cecil Bird Club yielded
> results tonight beyond our wildest dreams- a mind boggling **70** people
> attended the Turkey Point " Happy Owl-oween " Owl Walk. Last year 4
> showed up. For a large crowd, it went amazingly well. People( even
> children) were quiet and attentive. Good thing, or we would have hurt
> them!! We hated to turn people away as we`re on an active member
> recruitment.
>
> Scott Powers did an amazing job with his Screech, Great Horned and
> Saw-whet calls; all three species responded. Even some foxes were
> heard! Unfortunately, we could get none( owls) in the spotlight, but it
> was very " Halloweeny" to have 5 Screech Owls calling at once. It was a
> beautiful, mild evening with no wind, well lit with moon and stars. It
> was quite a magical scene, 70 people in a moonlit meadow, surrounded by
> forest, all in a reverent silence to hear the owls call. For many, it was
> a first time trip. I bet they won`t forget it.
>
> The only thing to mar an otherwise memorable evening was one malcontent(
> and there is one in every crowd) who was heard to loudly remark " this is
> ridiculous, people came to SEE owls, not HEAR them. I guess she thought
> the owls would obligingly fly right out of the woods and jump up and down
> on conspicuous perches.( The nature of the beast was explained at the
> beginning). I suppose there will always be those folks who assume
> sightings are guaranteed. Leslie Fisher Cecil Bird Club North East MD "
> One has only to consider the life force packed tight into that puff of
> feathers to lay the mind wide open to the mysteries- the order of things,
> the why and the beginning." Peter Matthiesson- The Wind Birds
>
>
===============
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net