Courtesy photo Phyllis Carlson poses with Journey the owl. Carlson will be presenting “Owls of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula” May 6 at Bay College West.

ESCANABA — The Bay College West Campus (Bay West) Speaker Series “Community Voices” continues on Thursday, May 9, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. CST in Fornetti Hall. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

This month will feature Phyllis Carlson, presenting “Owls of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.” Carlson is a retired 911 dispatcher, and has 25 years of experience with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office. Carlson has state and federal permits to rehab wildlife, and has been rehabbing for almost 30 years. Eighteen years ago, she received a young great horned owl with a broken wing. When it was determined that the owl would never be able to fly well enough to survive in the wild, Carlson decided to apply for the necessary permits to use him in educational programs. She named him Journey and has been doing programs with him for 17 years. They have presented at a variety of venues and have educated thousands of people about owls.

The presentation will provide information on the species of owls most likely to be encountered in the Upper Peninsula and northeast Wisconsin. Attendees will meet Journey the owl, and will learn what they look and sound like, as well as how they live. Any questions can be directed to Kelly Larson by email at Kelly.Larson@baycollege.edu or by phone at 906-302-3006.