I’m not a fan of anthropomorphizing nature but I admit I’m looking forward to the naming of the Dracena Park owls. I hear them most mornings so now I’ll know who to call out to.
But if Piedmont really wants to honor its owls, it should protect owl habitat throughout the town.
From my 30-year observation of Dracena Park, there are two factors that have brought the owls there. First is crows. I used to regularly see red-tail hawks and peregrines at the park but with the influx of crows, these raptors have been harassed away. This opened up territory and nesting grounds for the owls.
The other factor is the absence of lighting in the park, and we have the Capital Improvements Committee (CIP, now disbanded) to thank for that. The CIP Committee, made up of volunteers, reviewed the city’s capital projects as well as proposals from the community. Light pollution is bad for owls and the CIP consistently rejected neighbor proposals to add lighting to Dracena Park which likely contributed to the owls settling there.
The City should dim the lights in the Community Hall Plaza, now blazing all night, to see if owls will settle in that park as well.