A Great Day for Owl Watching

Saugus Iron Works and Breakheart Reservation will host live owl demonstrations tomorrow to kick off October

  If you give a hoot about owls, tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 1) provides a great opportunity to get a close encounter with that wise old bird with the big bright eyes. It’s a rare occasion for people to get to see a live demonstration with these fluffy-feathered birds of prey. Saugus residents will have a chance to see them at two locations tomorrow (Saturday) to kick off the month of October. The Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site will host “The World of Owls,” an hour-long program presented by Wingmasters and the Saugus Public Library, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Breakheart Reservation and the state Department of Conservation & Recreation will host a special show titled “Owl Encounters” presented by Mass Audubon, with five 20-minute sessions beginning at 11 a.m. and the last one at 1 p.m.

Owls at the Iron Works

  The following information is based on press releases and articles posted on the Saugus Public Library website (sauguspubliclibrary.org) and Facebook.com/SaugusPublicLibrary/

  “The World of Owls” presented by Wingmasters and the Saugus Public Library: Wingmasters will be at the Saugus Iron Works on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 10:30 a.m. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on! No registration is required. This free program is recommended for adults, teens and children ages six and up. Check the library’s website after 9:15 the day of the event for weather-related updates.

  Owls are probably more misunderstood than any other kind of bird. These are hunting birds, yet their sharp beaks and talons are partly hidden under feathers. Owls have more and softer feathers than other birds, and this unique plumage gives them a plump, rounded look. Add an upright posture and huge eyes set in front like ours, and you have what looks irresistibly like a small, bemused person wearing a fur coat.

  In reality, owls are superbly adapted nocturnal hunters. This program shows how owls use their specialized powers of sight, hearing and flight to survive and thrive. A variety of live North American owls provides the focus of this presentation. A wealth of fact and folklore about these masters of the night explains the natural and unnatural history of owls.

  Wingmasters is a partnership of two people dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of North American birds of prey. Julie Anne Collier and Jim Parks are both licensed wildlife rehabilitators based in Massachusetts. Together they care for injured birds of prey at their center in Leverett, Mass. Most of the birds they rehabilitate can ultimately be released back into the wild, but in some cases the birds are left permanently handicapped.

  Julie and Jim are further licensed to provide a home for these non-releasable raptors and to use them for educational programs. Since 1994 Wingmasters has presented more than 10,000 programs at schools, libraries and museums throughout New England.

  This program is supported in part by a grant from the Saugus Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

“Owl Encounter” at Breakheart

  The following information is based on a press release issued this week by Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE).

  SAVE is pleased to sponsor the following free educational program as part of Breakheart Reservation’s First Annual Fall Family Festival on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Working together with our community partners, the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) and the Friends of Breakheart, SAVE is excited to sponsor the program “Owl Encounter.” Mass Audubon will present five 20-minute sessions at the Breakheart Visitor Center with start times at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. noon, 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. You can attend one or more of these sessions to view local wildlife up close and personal, as well as learn more about these incredible animals. The entire Festival will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with several activities available.