Local Fourth Graders Fuel Housing Boom for Great Horned Owls
For Immediate Release
May 01, 2008
Media Contact:
Christine Esposito
(773) 637-3939
Though the real estate market may be soft, housing options are looking up for great horned owls in Lake Forest. A fourth-grade class at Everett Elementary School recently built and installed a great horned owl nest, helped by a naturalist with Lake Forest Open Lands Association and an arborist with The Care of Trees.
The young students in teacher Catherine Sheehan’s class were already bird enthusiasts before Jill London, of Open Lands, visited their classroom to tell them about great horned owls and show them how to make a nest for the large birds.
Great horned owls do not build their own nests, typically using the old nests of crows, squirrels and hawks to raise their young. Ms. London showed the eager students how to weave grape vines around a wire basket to provide comfy confines for an owl family.
Their nest would go up in a tree in Open Lands’ Everett Farm Nature Preserve, not far from the school and from where many of the children live. But how would they place it in a tree? Jake Kubisiak, an arborist and professional tree climber with the Lake Bluff office of The Care of Trees could handle that. This would be the fifth time that Mr. Kubisiak has volunteered to place a great horned owl nest for Open Lands.
On a cool but bright spring day this week, the great horned owl team gathered to place the hulking nest. The students carried the nest to a tree in the preserve, studying natural landmarks along the way so that they can find their way back in the future to see if an owl family takes up residence there. Along the way, they picked up twigs and leaves to further line the nest and put the finishing touches on it.
Then arborist Kubisiak geared-up in ropes, harness and helmet to ascend the tree. In no time, he was nearly 30 feet up and ready to hoist the nest. The students below were captivated by every move, some following the proceedings by binocular. He secured the nest to the tree and was soon repelling back down to the ground.
“This was a magical experience for the students,” said Ms. London. “It will be a lifelong memory for them. They can go back with friends and family and monitor the nest. We talked about it being a secret spot, so as not to disturb any owls. They can only share the location with a few people.”
Soon to be fifth graders, the students plan a reunion at the nest site in February of next year to see if any owls choose to live there. Great horned owls typically look for nests around December and are incubating eggs by February.
“The fact that this really works is neat,” said Mr. Kubisiak. “I have a photo of an owlet in another nest we placed in Open Lands’ Mellody Farm preserve. For me it’s a chance to do wildlife biology, while using my tree care skills.”
He’ll have plenty of chances to combine those skills again. Open Lands auctioned off several great horned owl nests at a fund raiser recently. And Mr. Kubisiak is donating his services to place them.
Just wait till the word gets out among the local great horned owls.