Owl Eye Issue 7_int

29
International Owl Center Shop
The Center is also where the annual photo contest is and Festival participants are encouraged to vote
for their favorite owl phtotgraph. There were eleven contestants and it was a very hard decision indeed.
I won’t say who I voted for. After a few purchases, we exit the Center and head out to get ready for the
Banquet and the Hall of Fame Award Ceremony!
6:00 PM
Lutheran Church
The Banquet this year was held at the Lutheran Chuch in Houston. It was a bit smaller than last year’s
Four Season’s banquet hall, but we certainly made due. Long tables and chairs were set up and at the
head of the room were two tables where the recipients and Center staff sat. Karla Bloem, the head of the
International Owl Center and the Festival as well, gave an introduction to the Award Ceremony. Following
her introduction, was a performance by Hooston, the Center’s mascot AND by three owlet mascots! A very
entertaining night, indeed. As dinner was being served, we chatted with the people around us. The lady
sitting next to me was a long time volunteer for the Center and the one that organized the banquet. She
is also retired and now raises dairy goats in the town. Across from us was a younger couple who met at a
Pelican Festival! They love owls as well and the lady of the two even did some research on Flammulated
owls! I gave her my card so hopefully we will hear from her.
7:30 PM
After dinner and lemon sorbet dessert, the Awards Ceremony began with Dr. Jonathan Slaght’s Award. He
received the Special Achievement Award which is awarded to humans that made a significant contribution
to owls through a specific project or for efforts in a specific geographic area. The Special Achievement
Awards are sponsored by the Global Owl Project.
The second recipient of the Special Achievement Award was Sumio Yamamoto, an expert also in
Blakiston’s Fish Owls, not in Russia, but in Hokkaido, Japan. His presentation would be the following day.
Last but certainly not least, was the final award and talk received and done by Dr. R.J. Gutierrez, who lead
the Owl Prowl expedition the night prior. His award was the Champion of Owls Award, and award given
also to humans who have had a broad geographical impact, usually at least continent-wide, on owls in
multiple fields such as conservation, science, legislation, education, and/or rehabilitation, usually over a
lifetime (20+ years of work with owls). His presentation was of the great controversial issue of the Spotted
Owl habitat being overcome by the Barred Owl, as well as the habitat loss of the Spotted Owl. This issue is
the buzz of the owl community since it is happening in great numbers as we speak. The Owl Eye reported
on this issue in the Fall 2016 issue. To summarize, the Spotted Owls in the Southwest US, California and
the Pacific Northwest are being traumatized by the incoming and non native species, the Barred Owl.
These two species are related, but the Barred owl is much more aggressive and takes over the Spotted
Owl’s nesting sites, eats what they eat (and much more) and is pushing them out of their home territory.
Thus, the Spotted Owl is quite endagered and at risk of extinction. The controversy lies in what to do with
the Barred Owl. When the Barred owl is removed from the area, the Spotted Owls come back. Is it worth
it to kill one species for the sake of another and all of the biodiverse species it effects? These are today’s
questions.
Dr. Gutierrez also commented on the current issue of “fake news” and “fake science”. His concern lies
in the fact that the main population of people are not really told the correct facts about science, and
therefore will not be able to make educated decisions concerning our environment and for the future. The
Owl Eye is dedicated to bringing you the factual science, even if there is controversy surrounding it.
SUNDAY
9:30 AM
More sleep was had Saturday night afte the
Banquet, but we saddled up for nine-thirty
presentation with the Illinois Raptor Center’s
second group of live owls - the Small Owls. We were
presented with a Short-eared Owl, two Eastern
Screech Owls and a Barn Owl. The Short-eared
owls are always such an interesting owl to see.
Jacque Nuzzo was speaking again and confirmed
the fact that there is even less information about
Short-eared owls than other owl species. They are
a stunning bird with what looks like a black and
white mask on their faces, dark-rimmed yellow
eyes and white feathers all around their small
round faces.
The owl of the weekend, in my book anyway, the
Eastern Screech Owl, also made an appreance.
There were two owls, one grey and one red morph
(red/orange colored feathers). I love these cute
owls becuase they look like they are cut out of
stone.
The Barn Owl did a lovely flight show and then
perched on one of the speakers for a few minutes,
seeming to not want get down. It was his show,
afterall.
IRC Barn Owl