Meet Me at the Owl Symposium!

Virginia Zick Alert: Thanks to a snowstorm predicted for this evening, Friday, 1/25/13, my talk, "The Bluebird Effect," has been moved to 5 pm Sunday 1/27/13 at Kempsville Recreation Center in Virginia Beach. The 175 people pre-registered for the talk are being notified via email and/or phone of the change. Rollin' with it, like the ocean. For more info contact Katie Whanger

I'm sittin' in my oceanfront hotel room watching dolphins, common loons, red-breasted mergansers, black scoters, and greater and lesser black-backed gulls. Mighty fine viewing!

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Ohio Ornithological Society Presents The Owl Symposium!

       February 15-17, 2013, Mohican State Park, Loudonville, Ohio

Babeh snowy owl in his tweedy natal down.

An adult male snowy owl brings a nice wad o' turf back to line the nest.

 Did this little creature grow up to be one of the vagrant snowy owls who thrilled us in the lower 48 last winter? Hiding in the cotton grass on his Arctic nesting ground...These photos courtesy Denver Holt of The Owl Research Institute.

I'm excited! The Ohio Ornithological Society is holding an Owl Symposium at beautiful Mohican State park in Loudonville, Ohio, from Feb. 15-17. Bill, Wendy and I will kick off the reception Friday night with original music from at least half of The Rain Crows. Talks and fabulous field trips will round out Saturday and Sunday's offerings. A wonderful cure for cabin fever--hobnobbing with happy spirited Ohio birders in a gorgeous setting. Getting outside, looking for birds, getting warm inside, hearing great talks.

To whet your appetite, here are some photos from Denver Holt of Montana's Owl Research Institute. Denver's graced the pages of National Geographic with his snowy owl research, and he delivers a terrific talk, complete with imitations of snowy 

owl courtship displays that, by my observation, work pretty well on ladies too.

I'll speak about Ohio's owls on Sunday morning, and Bill and I will be helping lead field trips with the likes of Jim McCormac, Roger Troutman, Greg Miller, Gary Cowell, Steve McKee, Warren Uxley, Craig Caldwell, Dan Sanders and Kyle Carlsen. You really couldn't be in better hands if you wish to hunt winter finches like crossbills, redpolls and evening grosbeaks, or perhaps see an owl in the wild. 

Conference Overview and Registration

Pay For Your Registration Online!

Fill out the registration formand mail it to the following address: The Ohio Ornithological Society, P.O. Box 14051, Columbus, Ohio 43214. Take note of your registration total on the form, click the button below, and enter your payment in the "item price" field.

 

The Owls of North America Symposium will be held on February 15-17, 2013 at Mohican State Park in Loudonville, OH and will be presented by OOS and the Greater Mohican Audubon Society. The Ohio Ornithological Society is proud to present this symposium offering a spectacular weekend of fun, fellowship, and birding. You will hear great speakers, search for Ohio owls and winter finches, and catch up with birding friends. Events include talks from Denver Holt, founder of the Owl Research Institute, Tom Bartlett & Bob Scott Placier who will share their research of banding Northern Saw-whet Owls in Ohio and Gail Laux from The Ohio Bird Sanctuary who will teach us the evolution and dynamics of Ohio owls. On Friday evening, enjoy snacks, drinks from the bar and music from members of The Rain Crows! Saturday afternoon, travel to one of our field trip locations to search for owls and other winter birds. Saturday evening, we will offer the chance to get up close and personal with one of the most adorable birds on the planet! - A Saw-whet Owl! On Sunday we will wrap up the weekend with field trips in and around Mohican State Park.

                        

For more information and registration, click HERE.