Happy Hollow Campgrounds, nr Nashville, IN.

May 1, 2008

These campgrounds are only 20 miles from my home but it was like being out in the middle of nowhere. Once you leave I-46 it brings a new meaning to the phrase 'back roads'. I seriously think that someone needs to come up with a perch-belt for birds in transit, it is probably just like being on a tree branch in gale force winds but I can't help picturing Sonja being splattered on the back wall every time I hit the brakes.

On this occasion Kathy and I did a 45 minute program with Sonja (Eastern Screech Owl), Nibbles (Opossum), Rascal (Skunk), Star (Great Horned Owl) and Obie (Barred Owl). There were about 40 kids with adult supervision that were there on a 2 day adventure. A chance for them to leave the computers and video games behind and experience the outdoors. Although there was a plethora of digital cameras in hand.

It was a very nice venue, the giant gazeebo with built-in fireplace was ideal for an outside program and would have kept us dry even if it had rained, which it didn't.

As the sun went down we all went to the edge of the woods to try and call owls. Kathy can imitate the calls really well but they also had a CD recording of various owls which they played into the trees. But this time the owls would not cooperate, probably sitting in the trees just out of sight laughing at the 'silly humans'.

Richard