From Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
Sanford the Eastern Screech-Owl looks out at yet another afternoon rainstorm here in Maitland.
Eastern Screech-Owls are the smallest species of owl found in Florida, fully grown at about six inches long. Sanford is a red or rufous morph, but this species also comes in gray and brown. The complex patterns of bands, spots, and colors help Eastern Screech-Owls the target of larger predators like Great Horned Owls and house cats, so camouflage is important for them.
Eastern Screech-Owls rely on tree cavities for nesting and protection, so humans can help them by preserving trees and putting up nest boxes. blend in well with tree bark. These small owls are often
My father used to be the VP that managed the Bird of Prey center with Dr. Yokel! But that was decades ago. I remember sometimes he’d bring the screech owl’s home for the weekend or Daisy the Barn own.
Is Trouble the Bald eagle still around?
It just have been very memorable to get so close to the birds on a regular basis!
I didn’t see anything about Daisy, she was not on the most recent visitor guide.
I did see they had a very nice tribute to Trouble though. It looks like they had to say goodbye to him last year.
There is also a tribute to Dr. Yokel as well.
That’s unfortunate but he had a great run…I still remember the day that my dad brought Trouble to my second grade class to talk about rescuing birds of prey…It was really neat!
God how time flies…I think I was in 2nd grade in '90.
I got lucky being able to see these birds growing up, I need to try to go back some day soon!
Sorry last edit: I just remembered right after my father was hired, we all were invited to an event, my father, mother and all 3 kids. My youngest brother was probably 2 at the time on being introduced to my father’s new boss, looks at Dr Yokel and asked l, “Mr, why are so you fat?”
He handled it like an absolute gentleman and a pro while my poor father was absolutely mortified.
Couple years later Dr. Yokel found a stray with puppies and that’s how we got our childhood dog, we couldn’t agree on all * name, so we named him Bernie, after Dr. Yokel.
Thanks you for unlocking and reminding me of core memories!
I was probably around 12 when I first got to see an eagle in person. It was huge then, and still is now. To a 2nd grader seeing that wingspan likely bigger than their parents has got to be majorly awe inspiring.
At least everyone will always remember meeting Dr Yokel, even if you were all young! 😆 It might snap us out of our denial how old/flabby/tired we look, but I think even the “victim” usually gets a laugh out of little kids saying those things nobody else would dare say! For your dad being just hired though, I could see that being a tad anxiety inducing!
The puppy being named after him is a great story too!
I’m glad even though the news I delivered was mostly but the best, that it still gave you a positive experience.
(It was especially challenging for my father as Dr Yokels’s brand new Vice President, that man was like a neat grandfather figure for sure.) It was all absolutely positive…my father passed away about 2.5 years ago and it’s fun to imagine Trouble waited for him…do they still have the murel on the side of the building with the different type of birds so you can identify them on the ground as they fly?
I haven’t had the pleasure of going there, though I would like to very much, they share a ton of great things! I couldn’t find any photos of a mural.
I don’t know if there is an afterlife or not, but if animals were not invited to the party, that would be a gross oversight, if you ask me. I know I would certainly love to see all my animals friends again for all time.
You and me both, as we get older the only thing we can hold on to are the memories…it’s not as bird of prey centric but check out in plantation Florida It has Barn/Barred/GH Owls!
