Nestled in between the Monterey pine trees and the coast live oaks on California’s central coast, lies a special place called Camp Ocean Pines (Camp). In a non-pandemic area, rarely a week goes by without kids staying in the cabins, for summer Camp or for their sleepaway science Camp experience.
The idyllic location of Camp, on a hill directly adjacent to the ocean, is not the only unique thing Camp has to boast. Perhaps the most unique thing about Camp is its falconry program. Due to educational falconry permits, they are able to house and care for birds of prey and present them to groups that stay at Camp, which provide a valuable and awe-inspiring experience for adults and kids alike.
Birds that are housed at Camp are there because they cannot be released back in to the wild. This can occur for two reasons: 1) the bird was hatched in captivity, or 2) the bird suffered a debilitating injury that prevents it from successfully returning to the wild. In this way, the life expectancy of these birds can be extended, and they can be utilized as educational tools to connect youth to wildlife. Camp Ocean Pines, with its facilities and permitting, is on a contact list for rescued and rehabilitated birds in need of residence.
Here, we dive in to life of Earl, the Great Horned Owl. Earl is perhaps the quirkiest resident of the camp. He has an injury to his wing that prevents him from really being able to fly or hunt. It is not known for sure how Earl received his injury. Some speculate Earl was hit by a car, others guess it was an animal attack, but these are all naturalist hypotheses.
So, what does a typical day look like for Earl? He’s certainly not your average owl. Though Earl, like other owls, is nocturnal, many of Camp’s staff and visitors would attest that they do not often see Earl sleep. In my own nine months, I maybe saw Earl at rest one single time. When morning comes, Earl is often already flying around his mews: a common activity of his. The mews is an area where the birds live; each bird has their own space, which is essentially room outside that contains perches and a water bath, fenced in by both plywood and a chain-link fence.
Earl’s sleeping habits are not his only unusual, yet endearing trait. Walking by Earl’s mews, one is likely to hear a hiss. Yes, while most owl’s hoot, this goofy Great Horned Owl hisses. No one knows why, exactly, but it is suspected that this is part of the injuries he sustained in his accident. Earl will hiss in alarm, perhaps attempting to be menacing, but when his big yellow eyes blink at you in an almost clueless manner, you know he means no harm. He will dart around the mews, from corner to corner.
Each day, a guaranteed part of Earl’s routine is his daily care and maintenance by a staff member. This includes a physical exam, feeding, and a twice per week mews cleaning. The physical exam is the often the first order of business. It entails checking for injuries (like his wing wound, which sometimes requires ointment) and mobility, as well as weight. Despite being about a foot and a half tall, Earl only weighs about 1000 grams, which is a little over two pounds. His diet can be adjusted if he is over or under his normal weight, but on an average day he is fed 150 grams of frozen chicks and/or mice. But a few things need to happen before Earl can be fed.
Prior to feeding, it is helpful for the mews to be cleaned (on mews cleaning days). The process is pretty simple, and includes raking the poop from the gravel floor, cleaning the water bath, and spraying off the walls and the ground. One of the best parts of hosing down the walls is giving Earl a gentle misting to clean him off a bit. Usually, this will earn the caretaker Earl’s famous, slow blink, with his beak ajar.
The other thing that has to be done before feeding Earl is his presentation. While not an everyday occurrence, Earl often comes out to meet groups in the evening, as part of a night lesson. Sometimes he meets groups during the day as he is often awake and alert anyways, and generally groups are very eager to have him come out for a visit. Eating after the presentation, as opposed to before, means that eating is a reward for a job well done.
How is Earl taken out of the mews and presented to a group? Trained staff members are permitted to this action, by the use of a leather falconry glove and a “leash.” A falconry leash serves a similar function a dog leash, except that it is connected to anklets on the bird’s legs. The leash is then tied to the glove with a special falconer’s knot.
After a lesson on display for Camp, Earl is then retired to his mews to be fed. By the time all is quiet and still around Camp, Earl has a belly full of mice. His yellow eyes remain open as he darts around the mews, making brief flights between his perches, perhaps sensing the female Great Horned Owl that lives around the trees of Camp. When morning arrives, he does it all over again!
If you would like to donate to Camp Ocean Pines, in support of their mission to foster discovery of wildlife like Earl and appreciation of the natural world, you can do so here.
