Ground-Owl Day puts spotlight on burrowing owls
Cape Coral’s city bird will be the center of attention on Feb. 2.
The burrowing owl is getting the Punxsutawney Phil treatment Saturday morning, as the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife and Cape Coral Parks and Recreation Department host Ground-Owl Day at the Rotary Community Garden at City Hall, where residents will get answers to the looming question of how many more weeks of “winter” Cape Coral will have to endure.
“The whole idea is a play on Groundhog Day, and if our burrowing owl will see its shadow,” said CCFW Vice President, Pascha Donaldson.
Donaldson noted that they surely do not anticipate that the male and female burrowing owls at Rotary Community Garden to cutely come hopping out of their burrow for the Cape to see-it’s just a fun event to highlight the little feathery friends who call the city home.
There is also a surprise planned during the “shadow ceremony,” said Donandson.
Mayor Joe Coviello will be in attendance to read a proclamation and announce the winning names of the “Name the Ground-Owl” contest.
Cape residents were encouraged to get creative and conjure up names of what will eventually be the most notable pair of burrowing owls in the city.
The CCFW has reviewed more than 400 submissions for male and female naming suggestions, as there were many choices and lots of imagination.
“It’s very creative to see the different names,” said Donaldson. “We did also see a couple repeat names as well. I hope we came out with the best choices that the city will enjoy, there were so many to choose from.”
First, second and third place prizes will be awarded a package of sorts, courtesy of the CCFW.
1st Place – Free one-year family membership to Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, four free admission tickets to the Burrowing Owl Festival on Feb. 23 at Rotary Park, one Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife Owl T-shirt, one hat of your choice and two free tickets for the Nature of Cape Coral Bus Tour.
2nd Place – Free one-year family membership to Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, two free admission tickets to the Burrowing Owl Festival on Feb. 23 at Rotary Park, one Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife Owl T-shirt of your choice and two free tickets for the Nature of Cape Coral Bus Tour.
3rd Place – Free one-year family membership Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, two free admission tickets to the Burrowing Owl Festival on Feb. 23 at Rotary Park and two free tickets for the Nature of Cape Coral Bus Tour.
The free event begins at 9 a.m., and includes light refreshments.
The recent un-Floridian type of weather may have residents clamoring for the city’s newest meteorologists to not see their shadows, so that we can return to our normal, tropical weather.
Donaldson said she hopes this event is something that become somewhat of a tradition in Cape Coral for years to come.
“This is a unique event because no one has ever done this with burrowing owls,” she said. “We have the largest concentrated population in the state of Florida. They are our official city bird which is unique and it is a fun event to kick off the annual Burrowing Owl Festival and nesting season for our feathery friends. Another way to bring the community together and educate all our visitors about the our burrowing owls and other protected species that live in Cape Coral. Keeping with the Cape Coral theme-meet your neighbors.”
Later on in the evening, Cape Coral Special Events will present a free “Movie in the Park” at Jaycee Park, where they will be showing the movie “Hoot” on the big screen.
Food trucks and free activities with the Cape Coral Fun-Mobile will be on site.
The event at Jaycee Park begins at 5 p.m. with the movie set to play at 6:30.
The public is encouraged to bring their own seating and blankets.
Jaycee Park is at 4125 SE 20th Place in Cape Coral.
The Rotary Community Garden is at the corner of Cultural Park Boulevard and Southeast 10th Street, on the north side of City Hall.
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