Volunteers help make life easier for burrowing owls in valley

A group of volunteers gathered Saturday morning outside the entrance of Gilcrease Orchard, ready to get to work building habitats designed to make life a little easier and safer for burrowing owls that gravitate to the area outside the North Tenaya Way farm.

Soon they were hard at it. Centennial High School sophomore and Boy Scout Tyler Hassing dug 3-foot-deep holes along with fellow Boy Scout Troop 246 members volunteering as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program to protect and restore animal habitats.

He chose to complete the owl burrow volunteering opportunity as his service project, one of the requirements to move up the Boy Scout ranks toward Eagle Scout.

"It's cool to help animals out," Hassing said. "It makes me feel good."

Burrowing owls are attracted to the area that surrounds the orchard, which is already home to two owl burrows, said Christiana Manville, a partner biologist for the program.

"It's moist, and there are a lot of insects around because of the fruit and flowers. And owls eat insects," she said. "They don't have to spray pesticides as much because of the owls."

She explained how the burrows are made: A 55-gallon plastic jug is sawed in half, before a hole is placed at the top to fit a 2-gallon bucket with soil before another 2-gallon bucket is placed over it. A 12-foot-long, 4-inch-thick perforated drain pipe is then inserted to lead owls into the burrow.

"This method enables us to open the lid and check the burrow," she said. "We're also looking into installing cameras in them."

Dr. Michael Braunstein, a general practitioner and anesthesiologist, last summer purchased the 2-acre lot where the owl burrows were being installed Saturday.

"I found out about owls through my love for photography," Braunstein said. "I fell in love with them."

It was an easy decision to buy the land, he said.

"They'll have a safe place to live so they won't have to worry about horses, dogs or people walking over their burrow or construction, which is the biggest thing," Braunstein said. "If you have land with burrows, the owls will be safer."

Joe Longchamps, an Eagle Scout project coordinator, said the owl burrow opportunity makes for an ideal service project. Such projects are just one of the ways Boy Scouts offer opportunities for young men to have positive experiences.

"It teaches them life skills, keeps them engaged in the community and helps them learn how to achieve their goals," he said. "They also learn about team ethics and working together for the common good."

Hassing's father, Dave, said he encouraged his son to join Boy Scouts because of his own experience as a scout.

"I learned about the beauty of the great outdoors, service and the satisfaction you get from helping others," he said. "I hope that he learns dedication, focus and what it takes to be a good citizen in the community."

— Contact reporter Ann Friedman at afriedman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Follow @AnnFriedmanRJ on Twitter.