Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2026
Carmel Owls Completes Phase 2 Deployment - Seven Great Horned Owl Platform Installations Across Monterey Peninsula
CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. — Volunteer-powered conservation group Carmel Owls safely completed seven Great Horned Owl platform installations on Tuesday, May 5, across Carmel Highlands, Carmel Point, Carmel High Meadows, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, and Monterey.
The ambitious one-day operation required a coordinated nine-person volunteer crew working with a 21-foot cherry picker, traffic safety teams, radios, hydraulic boom operations, and elevated installations reaching approximately 35 feet above ground.
Despite the complexity of the work, which included navigating Highway 1 equipment transport, avoiding high-tension electrical lines, and operating heavy equipment at height, the entire installation day was completed safely “with nary a splinter,” according to organizers.
Operational Highlights
Traffic safety planning and deployment at six locations
Pre-event site inspections and coordinated day-of communications
Hydraulic cherry picker leveling and boom extension procedures
Safety harnesses, helmets, radios, and designated operational roles for all critical maneuvers
A lost drone in a tree, with aerial footage ultimately recovered through its connected iPad app
“Volunteers absolutely rose to the challenge,” said Paul Falworth, Chief Owl Officer and volunteer organizer. “This wasn’t simply hanging birdhouses in trees. It required precision teamwork, safety discipline, heavy equipment coordination, and volunteers supporting workers three stories high in the air to strengthen Great Horned Owl habitat across the Monterey Peninsula.”
Carmel Owls plans to continue expanding owl habitat throughout 2026 with additional installation phases scheduled for Carmel Valley and other Monterey Peninsula communities. The organization expects to deploy up to 35 Great Horned Owl platforms before the February 2027 nesting season through volunteer build days, donated crane services, and homeowner-supported installations.
Great Horned Owl families with owlets can consume up to seven rodents nightly for at least two months, helping naturally reduce rodent populations without the use of hazardous rodenticides that can lead to secondary wildlife poisoning.
A video documenting the installation operations, along with a collection of photographs from the day’s activities, is available on the CarmelOwls.org website.
Media Contact: carmelowls.org/contact
Website: carmelowls.org
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Royalty Free Photos: All photos on the Carmel Owls website may be used without permission. Please give credit to those photos with the photographer's signatures.
About Carmel Owls
Carmel Owls is a volunteer conservation organization based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, dedicated to protecting and supporting local Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus). through their free Adopt an Owl Platform initiative, nesting platform deployment, education, and community outreach across the Monterey Peninsula. Carmel Owls is partnered with Camel Cares to accept 501c3 donations.
