Hundreds 'Flock' to Owl Event in Canton

Editor's Note: The following was submitted by the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon in Canton.

If you passed the Museum of American Bird Art on Saturday, you may have wondered what all the activity was about. The museum’s Hoot Happenings family event drew more than 300 visitors.

Children and adults alike were able to interact with barn, barred and screech owls from Blue Hills Trailside Museum. They also took part in a variety of owl-inspired activities and explored the paintings, drawings, woodcuts and etchings on view in the Only Owls art exhibition. Upstairs in the estate house, the artist’s suite was transformed into a cozy story-time nest and Owl Moon by Jan Yolen was performed with dramatic sound effects. Two mini-trail explorations led by new camp director Tammis Coffin offered a chance to look closely at nature as winter wanes and the signs of spring increase, giving the most energetic young visitors a chance to expend some energy on a brisk hike.  

“It was great to see so many new faces at the museum,” Sharon Lee, the event coordinator, said in a statement to Canton Patch. “When we can host a large scale event that ties in so perfectly to our art exhibition, there is great synergy. This event was a great opportunity for families to learn about what we do as well as see our professional art museum first-hand. It’s a win-win all around.”

All proceeds from the event will support the museum’s Wild at Art Summer Camp.

“We’re so grateful for all the volunteers and businesses who made this event possible,” Lee said.

The National Charities League mother-daughter organization of Canton provided amazing volunteer support by baking cookies and helping to staff the event. In addition, generous donations from the Main Course, Village Gallery, Village Toy Shop, Walgreens, CVS, and Shaws of Canton as well as Roche Brothers, the Big Y and Walmart helped to support the cause.

If you missed the owls at Hoot Happenings, there will be another live owl event on April 7 at the museum, this one intended for high school age and above. 

Ten Wild Photos/Ten Wild Stories is a presentation by international wildlife photographer Mark Wilson that will include live owls cared for by Mark and his wife, Marcia. More information and registration information is available on the museum’s website