Evening Owl Prowl

The evening was cool and windy, but 18 members gathered in search of owls. We persevered until late in the evening, though success was limited.

Our first stop was New Southwick Cemetery, where our leader gave an impressive imitation of an Eastern Screech Owl call, hoping to prompt a response. None came. Next, we visited a boardwalk crossing a large marsh along the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail. As we approached the parking area, one member heard an owl from his car, but the group had not yet gathered, and the owl did not call again. We walked the trail down to the boardwalk and tried in vain to call in a Barred Owl, where two had been seen flying over the marsh during last year’s owl prowl.

Our final stop was the Southwick WMA, where we hoped to hear a Great Horned Owl. In the parking area, the leader and another member heard an Eastern Screech Owl, but it did not call again for the rest of the group to hear. We walked into the field stopping at the edge of the woods, where our leader imitated the calls of Northern Saw-whet Owl and Great Horned Owl, but by then the wind had picked up considerably, and our efforts were unsuccessful.

Although the owls kept their distance this year, members thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s quest.