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Project Noah Nature School
Bubo scandiacus
The regal Snowy Owl is one of the few birds that can get even non-birders to come out for a look. This largest (by weight) North American owl shows up irregularly in winter to hunt in windswept fields or dunes, a pale shape with catlike yellow eyes. They spend summers far north of the Arctic Circle hunting lemmings, ptarmigan, and other prey in 24-hour daylight. In years of lemming population booms they can raise double or triple the usual number of young. (Cornell)
While participating in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count I saw 4 different Snowy Owls. The total for the circle was 24 Snowies! This one was on the roof of a house at a beach and I was able to approach reasonably close. This is a phenomenal year for Snowy Owls in the northeast. I heard there was a boom in the lemming population in northern Quebec so the owls raised a lot more young than normal.
Spotted on Dec 22, 2013
Submitted on Dec 23, 2013
16 Comments
Thanks Shanna and good luck Rieko on spotting your first owl!
What a beautiful creature!
Thank you so much for the information. I have been seeing bald eagles multiple times, but I don't have any luck with owls, but I look forward to find one someday.
Rieko, check out the bird reports for NY here: http://birding.aba.org/
There are a few different areas of NY covered, so check out the reports near you. Snowy Owls are around in record numbers this year, so you have a good chance to see one.
Beautiful. I have not yet spotted owl as of yet. Maybe I am up too early in the morning? Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks Saumya and Smith Zoo.
Great series Tom. Thank you for sharing!
Stunning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Christy and Emily I hope you get a chance to photograph a Snowy in Colorado this year. Gracias Nes.
Hermoso!
She's so beautiful!! Great series, Tom!!
So jealous of all the Snowies on the East coast this year! A couple years ago we had 3 confirmed pairs that made it down to Colorado. Hoping I'll get a chance like this in the near future! Great shots Tom!
Thanks Ashley. This is a big year for Snowies, so maybe one will make it down to Texas.
So pretty! Still hoping for one to come to Texas again :) They have gotten as far south as NC and as far west as KS. So it's entirely possible!
Thanks gatorfellows.
How wonderful :)