Fowl play: No, this is not a Rancho Cordova wild turkey or Fair Oaks rooster item.

But I must credit columnist colleague Carlos Alcalá, who wrote this one first, and longtime education reporter Walter Yost (the older fellow who sits next to me in the Folsom bureau), who lived through it.

Anyway, Walt and Manda Ness, his significant other, were driving home week before last after walking their dog, Wiggly (honest), at Carmichael Park. It was a warm night, and Walt – being green and cheap, er, thrifty – had the air conditioner off and the window open.

Suddenly, something flew in the window and whacked him upside the head.

Yup. Flew in. When Walt gathered his wits (Carlos gives Walt too much credit, but I digress), he discovered a screech owl perched on his leg.

The creature looked like a pet bird, Walt said, until it opened its not-so-small wings and suddenly looked less cute.

When the owl declined to fly away, Walt took it home for the evening and to a Wildlife Care Association volunteer the next day.

"Can you imagine the odds of that?," asked Lisa Maljian, the volunteer, who is also a vet tech.

Sadly, the stunned owl never came out of its stupor and died a few days later. Walt, who said his head hurt for about a week, seems to be recovering.

Docent season: The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary would not be such a unique place without its cadre of docents – the folks who guide tours, help with outreach programs and act as "helpful answer people."

And it's docent-hunting season, according to zoo education coordinator Vicki Valentine. Training starts on Saturday, so please pay attention.

For a paltry $40, docents receive about 15 hours of training, a cool vest, name tag and lots of educational materials. Training sessions will be held at the zoo on four Mondays (Sept. 8, 15, 22 and 29) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or two Saturdays (Sept. 6 and 13) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, or to register, call (916) 351-3513.

Wildlife, Part II or III: Speaking of wild animals and such, the good folks at Placerville-based Sierra Wildlife Rescue continue to offer their adult-education program over the next few months.

SWR is an all-volunteer nonprofit that aids injured and orphaned wild animals and tries to educate people about living in harmony with critters.

Publicist extraordinare Nan Powers said the fall and winter classes are aimed at residents who want to better understand their foothill neighbors. Classes for current or aspiring wildlife rehabilitators will be held in the spring.

Upcoming classes include basic first aid, Sept. 10; advanced first aid, Sept. 24; tracks and scat (identifying wildlife), Oct. 17; better nests and dens (homes of a variety of species), Nov. 12; and "Deer Dave's anatomy class," Dec. 9.

For more information, call Barbara Barker, at (530) 621-2650.

All classes are held from 7-9 p.m. at the Sierra Wildlife Rescue center, 6236 Pleasant Valley Road, El Dorado. They are free to members of SWR; a $5 donation is asked from nonmembers. Better yet, just become a member. It's a good group. And Nan didn't make me write that.

Early Oktoberfest: I almost was too late with this item, foolishly assuming that Oktoberfest would occur in, well, October.

But the Rotary Club of Folsom is not bound by such knee-jerk thinking and will hold its fourth annual Oktoberfest on Sept. 13, a week from Saturday, from 5-10 p.m. at the Folsom Community Center.

Turns out that in Germany, Oktoberfest begins in September and runs until October. Clearly, I don't get out much.

Anyway, Bob Campbell, Rotarian and co-owner of the sBarkles do-it-yourself dogwash and shop in Folsom, promises a great night of food, beer, music and dancing that benefits the entire community.

For tickets or more information, call Dave Doherty at (916) 769-4074.

Cheers.

Call The Bee's Bob Walter, (916) 608-7448. Back columns, www.sacbee.com/walter.