SNOWY. No – not the weather – the OWL.
And of course today was the day I had rushed out to birdwalk without my phone camera, so this is not the bird I saw. But I did see one YES YES I saw a snowy owl in the third year of trying. He was quite like this one, with a black cap and very white snowy breast, just faint grey/white/grey plumage striations. Kim therefore thinks that he is a young male. Such a big, majestic, calm creature, sitting on a stone wall with the dun colors of brush and fields behind him. It was a beautiful morning too. We saw 20 other bird species, a harrier, many water birds on Sachem and Middle ponds, including a great blue heron who flew across.
Cathy had her camera, these are her photos – the white dot on the stone wall in the distance behind me is our snowy. He just sat there moving his head from time to time, he knew we were watching, and like good birders we did not go close to disturb him, but luckily Cathy’s is a proper camera with a zoom.
Gorgeous. Owls are very special birds partly for the reason that they are not spotted that often (even the Spotted Eagle Owl which, although always spotted, has to be in the right spot at the right time to be spotted!)
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The Snowy comes down from the arctic tundra some winters but not all. During the past two (cold) years, several had been seen on this island but in spite of being out often I had never before seen one. My friends were joking last year “we’re with Elspeth, won’t see one today…” Such calm majesty, they are enormous, in a way not like a bird at all. This winter it is warmer than usual, such an unexpected delight! Thanks for your appreciation.
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Snowy Owls are lovely birds, Elspeth… it must feel really good to see one in the flesh – er… feathers!
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What a treat! Gorgeous bird!
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Saw him again yesterday – this time he flew up from the ground and then kept a distance from myself and my friend but flew backwards and forwards over the brush at the end of the field. So majestic, we feel privileged but were also laughing as it seemed we had had some great achievement when in reality we did nothing to deserve him.
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