Three wildlife rehabilitators from Wind Over Wings, Inc., in Clinton, Conn., held an owl education program at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Westbrook recently. The rehabilitators discussed and displayed four species of owls found in Connecticut, including eastern screech-owl, northern saw whet owl, great horned owl, and great grey owl. They also set up and discussed a display concerning how garbage affects marine wildlife and what we can do to help prevent garbage from entering the ocean or sound, including recycling.

The highlights of the program included seeing all four of the owls live and in person. Despite their disabilities, they all had a variety of outstanding characteristics. For instance, everyone in the room was amazed when the great horned owl spread and flapped its wings to demonstrate the silent flight of many owls.

The program was the last in a series that Wind Over Wings conducted at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge in 2004. Wind Over Wings is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization dedicated to returning wildlife back to the wild when viable and to educating and inspiring those who wish to protect wildlife.

The programs were made possible by a grant provided by the Middlesex Community Fund.