Owl Ears Hike

Put on your owl ears! This will be a VERY quiet, meditative hike. We will spend most of our time listening.

Jack Hines (host of the Ear to the Wild podcast on KRCB, Soundscape ecologist, and GIS Specialist at Sonoma Ecology Center) will bring his high-tech audio equipment to amplify what we can hear. He will be joined by 3 Sugarloaf volunteers with avian expertise (Dana Glei, Kelley Lamke, and Shirley Austin-Peeke). Owls that have been heard/seen previously at Sugarloaf include Great Horned Owl, Western Screech Owl, Barn Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Northern Saw-Whet Owl, and Spotted Owl. In October 2023, Jack recorded a Northern Pygmy Owl at Sugarloaf, which you can hear on this Ear to the Wild segment.

The meeting location is undecided We will start with a short hike (<1 mile) to a quieter location where we hope to hear owls. After setting up the audio equipment, we will listen quietly for ~45 minutes., and then hike back Feel free to bring a portable chair in a bag.

Tickets are $15 for general audiences, $7.5 for youth (12-17 years old; must be accompanied by a responsible adult), students, Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf volunteers, and free for children 7-12. This event is not recommended for children under 7.

Bring at least a quart of water, a flashlight (for safety, but please try to keep the light pointed down), and if you’d like, a snack and a bird identification guide. Wear lots of warm layers because it is likely to be cold after dark, especially when we are sitting/standing still. Please choose non-reflective (preferably dark), quiet clothing that does not make noise when you move.

If you want to use iNaturalist, Merlin (for identifying birds by sound/photo), or eBird (for logging your bird sightings) apps, make sure they are already installed on your phone before you arrive for the hike. We recommend that you listen to the calls for owls we might see in advance on Merlin or allaboutbirds.org. Please silence your phone once you enter the park.

We will not be playing any owl calls inside the park because we do not want to disturb the ecosystem. If an owl (or any bird) reacts to your presence, you are too close.

Parking fees apply. Rains cancel.