[mou] Duluth Owl Symposium Wrap-up Report

b.pomeroy b.pomeroy@mchsi.com
Wed, 22 Mar 2006 12:36:49 -0600


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I have been asked to post this by Julie O'Connor, Symposium Coordinator:

Owls on the Move Symposium Wrap-up Report
=20

Our symposium started off on Friday evening with an owl fair organized =
by the Duluth Audubon Society and Audubon Minnesota geared toward kids =
and families.  We were thrilled to have over 350 people attend the =
festivities!!  Close to 100 of the weekend participants came on Friday =
evening, and over 250 members of the public came for the fun.  Live owls =
from Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, the Lake Superior Zoo, =
the Wildlife Science Center and The Raptor Center were the stars of the =
show, and the evening ended with the release of 2 rehabilitated Barred =
Owls from the Raptor Education Group in Antigo, WI. =20

=20

Over 200 people from across the US and Canada attended the Saturday and =
Sunday sessions.  Saturday was organized by the Hawk Ridge Research =
Committee, and was devoted to fascinating presentations by researchers =
from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Canada and Finland.  =
Presenters brought their expertise about northern owl species and kept =
the audience glued to their seats throughout the day.  Our sincere =
gratitude is extended to these speakers, not only for their =
presentations, but also for the long, thankless hours of study and =
research they've put in to understanding these elusive owl species!!

=20

One of our goals for this symposium was to make the science accessible =
to the general public.  We accomplished that with dynamic speakers and a =
fun atmosphere.  Bob Nero graced us with his joy and humor, formally, by =
reading his poetry to open the Symposium, and informally, by simply =
being present!  Our volunteers were there to serve symposium =
participants, and went out of their way to make sure everyone had =
everything they needed. =20

=20

Not only was the weather GORGEOUS in Duluth, but we made sure to have =
some spring migrants on hand for participants to enjoy.  Lyle Bradley, =
of Andover, MN, was treated to a photo session with a pigeon-loving =
Northern Goshawk during the lunch break on Saturday, and several people =
reported migrating Bald Eagles overhead.

=20

Our poster session gave an opportunity to learn more about ongoing owl =
research, and was a good time to visit and socialize with friends, old =
and new.  After dinner, we were fortunate to honor the Minnesota =
Conservation Officers who were involved in arresting poachers who'd shot =
several Great Gray Owls last winter and Karla Kinstler presented an =
award to Bob Nero for his life's work in owl conservation and education. =
 I even got a center stage serenade by our Keynote Speaker, Pertti =
Saurola from Helsinki, Finland!!  He can SING!  Michael Furtman then =
presented a beautiful slide show to end the evening.

=20

Sunday was a great opportunity for people to dialogue with the =
researchers, experts and professionals working with and around owls in =
our workshop and discussion forums organized by the MOU Education =
Committee.  From photography to volunteering to future research =
opportunities, participants had the opportunity to question and converse =
with the leading professionals in the field.  We didn't know how many to =
expect to stay for Sunday's workshops, so we were pleasantly surprised =
to see 120 people there!!

=20

All in all it was a great weekend.  New friendships and networks were =
created, old friends were reunited, and we learned a great deal about =
northern owls from some of the leading experts in the field!  To those =
that attended, thanks for coming!!  To those that didn't, we wish you'd =
been there!

Happy Spring Migration!
Julie

Bruce Pomeroy
7 Hillside Road
Esko, MN

"I care to live, only to entice people to
 look at Nature's loveliness."
-- John Muir
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3><FONT face=3DVerdana =
size=3D2>I have been=20
asked to post this by</FONT> <FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DVerdana>Julie =
O'Connor,=20
Symposium Coordinator</FONT>:</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Owls on the Move Symposium =
Wrap-up=20
Report</FONT></DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Our symposium started off on Friday evening =
with an owl=20
fair organized by the Duluth Audubon Society and Audubon Minnesota =
geared toward=20
kids and families.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>We =
were thrilled=20
to have over 350 people attend the festivities!!<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Close to 100 of the weekend =
participants=20
came on Friday evening, and over 250 members of the public came for the=20
fun.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Live owls from Wolf =
Ridge=20
Environmental Learning Center, the Lake Superior Zoo, the Wildlife =
Science=20
Center and The Raptor Center were the stars of the show, and the evening =
ended=20
with the release of 2 rehabilitated Barred Owls from the Raptor =
Education Group=20
in Antigo, WI.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"=20
size=3D3>Over 200 people from across the US and Canada attended the =
Saturday and=20
Sunday sessions.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Saturday =
was=20
organized by the Hawk Ridge Research Committee, and was devoted to =
fascinating=20
presentations by researchers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, =
Canada=20
and Finland.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Presenters =
brought=20
their expertise about northern owl species and kept the audience glued =
to their=20
seats throughout the day.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN>Our=20
sincere gratitude is extended to these speakers, not only for their=20
presentations, but also for the long, thankless hours of study and =
research=20
they=92ve put in to understanding these elusive owl species!!</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">One of our goals for this symposium was to make =
the=20
science accessible to the general public.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>We accomplished that with dynamic speakers and a fun =
atmosphere.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Bob Nero graced us with his =
joy and=20
humor, formally, by reading his poetry to open the Symposium, and =
informally, by=20
simply being present!<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Our =

volunteers were there to serve symposium participants, and went out of =
their way=20
to make sure everyone had everything they needed.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"=20
size=3D3>Not only was the weather GORGEOUS in Duluth, but we made sure =
to have=20
some spring migrants on hand for participants to enjoy.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Lyle Bradley, of Andover, MN, =
was=20
treated to a photo session with a pigeon-loving Northern Goshawk during =
the=20
lunch break on Saturday, and several people reported migrating Bald =
Eagles=20
overhead.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"=20
size=3D3>Our poster session gave an opportunity to learn more about =
ongoing owl=20
research, and was a good time to visit and socialize with friends, old =
and=20
new.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>After dinner, we =
were=20
fortunate to honor the Minnesota Conservation Officers who were involved =
in=20
arresting poachers who=92d shot several Great Gray Owls last winter and =
Karla=20
Kinstler presented an award to Bob Nero for his life=92s work in owl =
conservation=20
and education.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>I even got =
a center=20
stage serenade by our Keynote Speaker, Pertti Saurola from Helsinki,=20
Finland!!<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>He can =
SING!<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Michael Furtman then presented =
a=20
beautiful slide show to end the evening.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman"=20
size=3D3>Sunday was a great opportunity for people to dialogue with the=20
researchers, experts and professionals working with and around owls in =
our=20
workshop and discussion forums organized by the MOU Education =
Committee.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>From photography to =
volunteering to=20
future research opportunities, participants had the opportunity to =
question and=20
converse with the leading professionals in the field.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>We didn=92t know how many to =
expect to=20
stay for Sunday=92s workshops, so we were pleasantly surprised to see =
120 people=20
there!!</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">All=20
in all it was a great weekend.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN>New=20
friendships and networks were created, old friends were reunited, and we =
learned=20
a great deal about northern owls from some of the leading experts in the =

field!<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>To those that =
attended,=20
thanks for coming!!<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>To =
those that=20
didn=92t, we wish you=92d been there!</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: =
AR-SA"></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Happy=20
Spring Migration!</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: =
AR-SA">Julie</SPAN></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Bruce Pomeroy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>7 Hillside Road</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Esko, MN</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>"I care to live, only to entice people =
to<BR>&nbsp;look at=20
Nature's loveliness."<BR>-- John Muir</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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