Area birders are flocking to Cranbury for the first Stony Brook-Millstone Association and Cranbury Environmental Commission owl prowl at the Gourgaud Gallery tonight (Friday).
By: Josh Appelbaum
Area birders are flocking to Cranbury for the first Stony Brook-Millstone Association and Cranbury Environmental Commission owl prowl at the Gourgaud Gallery tonight (Friday).
Rick Lear, a naturalist with the Buttinger Nature Center in Hopewell, said about 20 Cranbury residents have registered for the prowl. Participants will get to dissect owl pellets and hear lessons aimed at shedding some light on the mysterious nocturnal birds.
After the presentation, which begins at 7 p.m., birders will head out to the Cranbury Brook Preserve to hear owl calls and possibly see some great horned and screech-owls; both species are common to Cranbury, according to Cranbury birder Kathy Easton.
Mr. Lear said now is a perfect time of year to observe and listen to owls.
"They are setting up territories for nesting this time of year," Mr. Lear said. "They are the earliest nesters among birds in the area. Because they are more vocal when they are setting up their territories, there’s a better chance they’ll respond to the calls, and a better chance we will actually see them."
Ms. Easton said owls don’t build their own nests, but instead appropriate the nests of crows or red-tailed hawks after they abandon them. She said two common owls, the great horned and screech-owl, have been nesting at the Cranbury Brook Preserve for several years, the smaller screech owl in tree cavities.
She said birders are more likely to hear owls than see them, especially in the case of the screech-owl.
Ms. Easton heard a duet between two great horned owls in Cranbury.
"Just two weeks ago I heard a male and female owl dueting. You can distinguish the male from the female because of their voices the male has a deeper voice than the female," Ms. Easton said.
In addition, people who go on the owl prowl will have the opportunity to dissect owl pellets, which are regurgitated, hard pellets. Each pellet contains the indigestible parts of an animal they eat. According to Ms. Easton, owls swallow their meals such as arthropods, fish, small animals and birds whole, and each pellet may contain a whole skeleton.
Mr. Lear said it is difficult to predict how the owls will respond to his calls.
"We might stand out there and do a bunch of calls to no response. But they might fly closer to check you out to see what those funny looking things are down there," he said.
For more information on owl prowls, call Mr. Lear at the Buttinger Nature Center at (609) 737-7592. There is no cost for tonight’s (Friday) event, but you must be registered.

