Denver Holt, founder of the Owl Research Institute in Charlo, Montana,
has been studying Snowy Owls on their breeding grounds in Alaska for 20
years, so it's highly fitting that he will be the keynote speaker at the
International Festival of Owls March 2-4, 2012 in Houston, MN during
this grand irruption year.
Joining him on the Festival's speaker roster are:
-Prof. Dr. Michael Wink from Germany, who has studied DNA of most of the
world's owl species and did the work that lumps Snowy Owls into the same
genus as Great Horned Owls
-Tracy Eccles from South Africa, writer and host of the Potted Plant Owl cam
-Laura Erickson from Duluth, MN - radio personality, writer, speaker,
and author who most recently authored the book "Twelve Owls"
-Karla Bloem from Houston, MN - the authority on Great Horned Owl
vocalizations
There is still time to enter the amateur digital owl photography contest
before the February 15 deadline. First prize is $100! The outdoor
photography sessions with the owls are all sold out, however.
There will be bus trips on Friday evening to call in wild owls (no
pre-registration needed), and a Sunday morning Birding and Natural
History Bus Trip that concludes with lunch at the local German
restaurant (registration required). We hope to be able to show a
nesting Great Horned Owl on the Sunday trip, and we'll keep tabs on the
Snowy Owls to see if there are any in the neighborhood that weekend.
Roosting Screech-Owls are also possible on that trip.
The four live owl programs during the Festival will be presented by the
Illinois Raptor Center and will include seven species of owls: Snowy,
Great Horned, Barred, Long-eared, Short-eared, Eastern Screech- (both
red and gray), and a flying Barn Owl. Please note that only half the
owls will be shown in each one hour program, and that the Saturday
morning program is sometimes standing room only!
For more information or to register for the Festival, go to
www.festivalofowls.com <http://www.festivalofowls.com>. It's the only
full-weekend, all-owl event in North America!
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