Night Owl Prowl

“Late one winter night, a little girl and her father go owling. The trees stand still as statues, and the world is silent as a dream. ‘Whoo-whoo-whoo,’ the father calls to the mysterious nighttime bird.
But there is no answer.

Wordlessly, the two companions walk along, for when you go owling, you don’t need words. You don’t need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn’t an owl, but sometimes there is.” 

This quote from Jane Yolen’s 1988 Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book, Owl Moon, captures the essence of the special companionship between a young child and her father and humanity's deep connection to the natural world.

Join us for Night Owl Prowl, a free and enchanting evening presented by the University of Illinois Master Naturalists and the Prairie Lands Foundation at Fugate Woods. The event will take place from 5-7 pm on November 2 at Fugate Woods.
 
Our guide, science educator Scott Saffer, will kick off the adventure with a reading from the children’s book Owl Moon. After the story, Scott will lead us on a night-time hike through Fugate Woods, where we’ll listen for the calls of elusive owls. 

Owls, masters of camouflage, are rarely seen during the day. Scott will use his skills to mimic the haunting hoot of the great horned owl and the eerie trill of the eastern screech owl, helping to distinguish between what seems like a mere tree stump and a hidden owl.

We will conclude our night prowl with hot chocolate and cookies, and each guest will leave with an owl pellet to dissect at home.