Bethpage State Park Ecology

As many of you may know, Bethpage State Park is prime habitat for Long Island's great horned owl population and here on the courses we do a great deal of work to ensure it stays that way! Besides creating and installing nests for these magnificent predators (these owls ironically, do not build their own nests) we also monitor them regularly with a bucket truck into the treetops! Always at the forefront of this mission is our part-timer and raptor aficionado Jim Jones. Jim has kindly invited me to assist and be a part of this miraculous adventure yet again this year. Our joint goal is to oversee these beautiful birds grow, from egg to fully fledged over the course of the season. Similar to last year, we have a breeding owl pair utilizing the artificial nest built, just for them, on #7 of the Black Course.  As the ecologist for the park, there is nothing that brings me more joy than watching our resident owls care for their chicks and see that care aid their offspring&#