Forget Punxsutawney Phil Cape Coral Has The Ground Owl

Friday is Groundhog Day. It is a beloved celebration where a furry critter strangely becomes the nation's premier predictor of weather. The annual celebration takes place every February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, in Southwest Florida, we put our own spin on this day. Forget about Punxsutawney Phil Cape Coral has the Ground Owl.  This is fifth year for Ground Owl Day and here is the scoop so you can participate.

According to the Groundhog Day lure, if Punxsutawney Phil emerges from the ground and sees his shadow, that means we are in for six more weeks of winter. If his shadow is elusive, that is the predictor for an early spring. The same rules hold true for the famous burrowing owls in Cape Coral. They are fascinating and so fun to watch when they pop out of the ground. Instead of nesting high in the trees, they nest underground. Because of this, they face danger from predators as well as humans.

The big event gets underway at 10a.m. Friday at the Pelican Baseball Complex,4128 Pelican Boulevard. It begins with Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter reading the Ground Owl Day Proclamation. For people who are not familiar with this kind of owl, the day is also a great way to educate the public. Plus they are so stinking cute.

FYI, Punxsutawney Phil has been correct in his predictions about 39% of the time. That is according to the Stormfax Almanac. Let's see how the owl does in comparison. I for one would not mind a few more weeks without the air conditioning blasting.

Another weekend in Southwest Florida and another "wildly" successful charity event. This one was for raising money to save and rehabilitate sea turtles in Southwest Florida at the annual Wild About CROW auction. The event brought in just shy of $1 million. CROW stands for Clinic for the Rehabiliation of Wildlife. The refuge is on Sanibel Island. However, the fundraiser was in downtown Fort Myers. It has become the organization's only fundraising event held off the barrier island every year.

Sea turtles and protecitng them are a big deal in Southwest Florida. And until this event, I had no idea that CROW is the only place to help rescue and rehabilitate them between Sarasota and The Keys. The sea turtle enclosures were just one of the many things that were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The wildlife hosptial is up and running again. Many of the other animal enclosures are also back in operation. However, the turtles still need help. Rebuilding and update the sea turtle rescue and rehab area is expected to cost around $2 million. So organizers were really hoping to raise at least half of that amount at the weekend fundraiser. They are almost there.

The dinner and auction took place at the beautiful, historic Burroughs Home on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River in downtown Fort Myers. Back in the day, the event was held outside on Sanibel. Moving the event into town evolved over the years for a number of reasons and has become a great way to get more participation. Last year's event raised about $250,000. 2024 has been record setting so far for fund raising. However, more money is desperately needed to continue repairs from Hurricane Ian damage.

In addition to the photos below, here is a quick video of the evening. Finally, here are just a few snap shots from Wild About CROW. Love animals? Help CROW reach that $1 million mark. Donations are still being accepted.