Naturalist Lori Schlosser will lead The Institute at Renfrew’s fall owl walk along the hiking trails of Renfrew Park on Thursday, November 7, at 6:00 p.m. The excursion is geared toward families and children are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult.

The activity is free (donations accepted), but registration is required and limited to 60. Spaces fill up quickly, so anyone wishing to join the walk should register soon. For more information or to register, call the institute at 717-762-0373 or email: info@instituteatrenfrew.org.

Before the walk, Schlosser will present a brief introduction to owls and a preview of various owl calls at Renfrew’s visitors center. She will then lead the group along trails in the park where they will pause to sit and call various owls (tape recorded), including the great horned owl, the barred owl and the screech owl.

Patience is required when trying to call owls,” Schlosser said. “If the calls are too loud, you can scare them off.” Participants must sit quietly for short periods of time to watch for owl flight and listen for owl reply calls. 

Schlosser hopes participants will attempt to call owls on their own once they have learned how. “They could go to places on their own, maybe in their backyard or along a road at the edge of a woods.”  

Those attending should dress appropriately for the weather, as the walk may last up to an hour. Flashlights are permitted; however, participants will be asked to turn them off during the walk to allow their eyes to adjust to the darkness.

This program is underwritten in part by Marge Kiersz, Lucinda D. Potter, CPA, and Smith, Elliott, Kearns & Company, with additional support from Renfrew Institute’s Today’s Horizon Fund contributors: The Nora Roberts Foundation; The John R. Hershey Jr. and Anna L. Hershey Family Foundation; APX Enclosures, Inc.; and the Carolyn Terry Eddy Family: Carolyn, with daughters Connie Fleagle & Kim Larkin. Facility support is provided courtesy of Renfrew Museum and Park.

For more information, visit www.instituteatrenfrew.org. Parking is available in Renfrew’s lower lot.