Our night hikes are one of my favorite activities to do with the kids. It's a challenge to keep them quiet and from running amok in the dark. I've found that laying down the law early on gets them focused and makes the whole group have a better time.
Last night we went through the typical night hike activities, using our senses and exploring the adaptations of nocturnal and crepuscular animals. My group did hear some GHOWs contact-calling around the field area. At the end of the night, we usually bring all the groups back to the ball field to lay down and watch the stars. Last night it was pretty cloudy and the stars were hidden. So, Rachel started talking about the dark sky initiative, and how it's important to prevent light pollution. I heard the GHOWs in the distance and suggested we could all be quiet and listen. I love how, even though they've been noisy and a bit unruly all day, when there is something to listen for, everyone hushes up. We heard the calls a couple times. I was describing why animals use contact calls ("here I am, where are you?"), as opposed to the hoots heard during the breeding season. Then I mentioned it sounded like the calls were getting closer, and closer. The owls then flew right over our group. There were at least 3 of them, a little flock. I'm not sure what was going on, but there were at least 3 shadowy shapes. All of a sudden, one of them flared up and caught some light from a street light further down the street. The beautiful white & tawny pattern of an owl's ventral side was illuminated for a brief instant. Then, they flew over the ball field and we heard their shrieking diminish. I'm now known as the owl whisperer.
The kids were astounded. There was some excited discussion, but no one was shouting, no one was being obnoxious. I got up and told them how incredibly lucky they were. Not only has that not happened to any school groups before them, but most people in the whole world never get to see that. I told them to take the image they saw remember it for the rest of their lives. One kid said he felt chills run down his spine. I was feeling some chicken skin too, it was such a powerful moment, and one we had all shared. I suggested we thank the owls, and they all said "Thank you owls" out into the night.
Then, the next day, we all got a chance to look at the stuffed GHOW and talk about how big it was, how amazing the talons are, the adaptations to the eyes and ear placement. It was a great follow-up and there were stories told of the previous night and how Barn Owls live in some kids' barns. That was a great segue [okay, i just have a side note here: I just learned how to spell this word today; thanks Shaun. But, I have to say that even though I'm annoyed at the fact I thought it was spelled "segway", I think it just became one of my favorite words] into mentioning how important owls are to control rodents.
So, during one program I always point out the Sharpie tail feathers that are in a pile by the door, describing this hawk that attacks little songbirds, but who instead got attacked himself, probably by a Great-horned Owl. But then, my group was playing a game outside and this kid looks down and finds some feathers that are owl feathers (we all were so psyched by the really great example of fringing at the edges of the feathers which gives owls their silent flight.) and they are not GHOW and not Barred Owl! They're tiny, but there are 5 of them, really more part of a wing than just feathers; there are coverts connected and some gristle at the end. I ended up putting the wing piece on a sheet of paper and drawing the rest of the wing out as best I could. This wing is Saw-whet size. And Northern Saw-whet Owls are the only owls that size that are found in this area. How cool is that!?!?
It has truly been a wonderful, owly group. I'm thinking about typing up a "Finding-Owl-Wing" certificate for the kid who found the feathers on the ground.