Cold Temperatures Don’t Deter Winter Wildlife! Posted on January 13, 2017 in Activities, Press Releases, Student News Wildlife sightings are common on the Saint John’s Prep campus- even in winter. Our school is located on the scenic 2,7000 acre Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum, so our students see animals in the woods, marshes and trails surrounding the school each day. Photo by Ann McGee This week an owl has taken roost nearby our main building. Prep parent Ann McGee snapped a photo of him/her after the giant bird swooped over her vehicle on her way onto campus. Saint John’s Prep Middle School Science instructor Bob Ellenbecker and his class identified the bird as a Barred Owl. Saint John’s Outdoor University’s Sarah Gainey says “Barred Owls are busy with their breeding season right about now. ‘Who cooks for you, who cooks for you alllllll’ is their signature call, along with monkey hoots back and forth. I see and hear them each year along the old entrance road, especially between now and the end of maple syrup season.” Saint John’s Outdoor University is hosting their 18th Annual Owl Hoot! on February 9, 2017. Click here for details about the event. Ms. Gainey, a frequent visitor to Saint John’s Prep classrooms, suggested these websites for more details about Minnesota’s barred owls and other owls in our area. Listen to the Barred Owl’s call. Live owl web cams in Minnesota Founded in 1857, Saint John’s Prep is a Catholic/Benedictine private day and boarding school, providing students, of all faiths, in grades 6-12 with a college-preparatory curriculum. Busing and scholarships are available. For more information, we encourage you to attend our Open House on February 25, visit www.sjprep.net or call 320-363-3315.
