Snowy Owl Prowl

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Hi All,<br>

Many are out looking for Snowy Owls as they head for their wintering grounds. A handful have gone through my area and others are reported within a few hours drive. I went out looking on a few occasions in a location only about 20 minutes from home. If you're like me, you get information from birding sights or from other like minded folks. Some outings are in snowy landscapes and others, like this, are much easier for spotting a big white bird. It might be interesting if, from time to time, those of you looking for Snowy Owls this winter would post your efforts and experiences. This is a field where one had been seen by many people. It was on a stump out near the end of the road near the small patches of snow. I ran into a woman there who had seen it just the day prior. Another Snowy was reported about 1/2 mile away. I had gone looking for that one instead. Came up empty handed both times, and now they appear to have moved on. The day wasn't an entire bust though, as I did see a flock of a few hundred Snow Geese fly overhead in an interesting direction. </p>

<p>We've had some mention of Snowys in another thread. Any one out there looking or planning to?</p>

<div></div>

[katsone]

<p>Hi Laura, I was out mid day today on the South Shore of Long Island NY, only 10 minutes from my house. I heard there were 4 Snowy's this morning, but there were 5 when I got there. I was lucky to pick one to photograph for a while when another that had been spooked by a disrespectful photographer flew and landed next to "my" snowy. So I had two within the frame. A wonderful gift to see, the most amazingly beautiful Owls on our planet!</p>

[katsone]

<p>Hi Laura, I was out mid day today on the South Shore of Long Island NY, only 10 minutes from my house. I heard there were 4 Snowy's this morning, but there were 5 when I got there. I was lucky to pick one to photograph for a while when another that had been spooked by a disrespectful photographer flew and landed next to "my" snowy. So I had two within the frame. A wonderful gift to see, the most amazingly beautiful Owls on our planet!</p><div></div>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Katherine, that is beautiful. I've heard about sightings along the beaches in New Jersey. Seeing them in this environment must have been exciting. Are the birds hanging out there for extended periods of time, or moving on?</p>

[kerry_grim]

Laura, I am from Berks County. There had been a Snowy seen from Bastian Road, off Noble Street

between Kutztown and Lyons. Myself and a bunch of birders saw it last Sunday. It was 400 yards away.

Landowners said it was there for three weeks. But it has moved on. Earlier in the week an additional one

was found there but not since.

 

Not sure where you are from, but Lancaster is probably your best bet. It is flat (think tundra) and they will

hopefully stay all winter.

 

PA BIRDS has postings on the birds. It is not necessary to subscribe. This link will help:

 

birding.aba.org

 

select Pennsylvania and then you can read the postings.

[kerry_grim]

Katherine, I agree, this is a beautiful photo and excellent setting.

[stemked]

<p>I went out today NE of Indianapolis but struck out. However, if you happen to be near Chicago/Gary area there are several Snowy's out. I am pasting from the IN-Bird post I got this morning:<br>

Pasted </p>

Taking advantage of being in S. Chicago, I visited Snowy Owl locations from west to east.

Today was the rare day where nearly every white bag was indeed a Snowy Owl! With help from Jeff McCoy & Michael Topp and scouting the past week, the surprise of the day was a whopping 8 LaPorte Co. Snowy Owls. Five were within a 1/2 mile radius, with 4 birds visible at one location. There were 7 Snowies within 3/4 mile of one another in open farm fields.

 

 

The owls are on private property, with little or no cover. They will flush if you try to walk them up, so I would not plan on expecting to obtain "portrait" photos, even with big lenses. A farmer from down the road came out, drove by and asked me what I was up to. There is traffic on these roads, so be careful. I would not stop or try to bird on US 421 at all. Car pooling might be advisable.

 

Lake Co. In. 7 --6 Snowy Owls

4 on Indiana breakwater off 87th St. One was confirmed later from Hammond Marina on the extreme South end. 2 birds were on the Illinois section of the breakwater. I could not be certain that the 5th bird was not a bird that relocated, so my total was 4. Jeff McCoy counted 4 in Indiana at mid-day. Go N. from Indianapolis Blvd., following signs for US 41 (S. Lakeshore Drive Blvd.) to 87th street and turn right.

1 with Michael Topp at 11:00 am at Miller--USX Impoundment, where he had located prior.

1 (back-tracked) Gary Airport on US 12 where Michael had located a bird earlier.

 

Porter Co. In. 1 Snowy Owl

1 The continuing Reynold's Creek Northern section bird off 600E. A second bird from earlier this week was absent.

 

LaPorte Co. In,-7 Snowy Owls within 3/4 mile of each other on either side of US 421 off 800S.

5 on the east side of 421 and 2 on west side, where Jeff McCoy had reported the pair earlier.

 

LaPorte Co. In. -1 Snowy Owl In Westville Prison field N. of CR 600 S.- the continuing bird.

 

 

John Kendall

 

[katsone]

<p>Hi Laura,<br>

Yes, the Snowy's have been on the beaches here since Thanksgiving. It's not unusual to have them here in January, but I'm told that it is an unusual number of birds that have been seen this season. I saw my first snowy in 2010 and at that time I was told that they were only seen here every other year. </p><div></div>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Katherine, you're killin' me. What a beauty. Yes, I've also read that numbers are high this year. Maybe a road trip to Long Island. Hmmmmm.</p>

<p>Kerry, I also live in Berks. The shot I posted was taken right next to that humongous pile of corn cobs on Baldy Rd, looking toward a sighting location. I went to the Noble Rd locations on the 23rd, but didn't see the one as it may have already departed. We went out on the 24th for more detailed look and only saw a few cars of birders. Maybe you were in one of them! This is also the general area where one was sited a few years ago. I had also gone to the Rt. 100 location, but apparently too late. There was enough snow to make a sighting difficult even if it was there.</p>

<p>You're right about PA bird and the site is one of my resources. I also work with a bunch of birders and hear about sightings from them. The area around Fleetwood, Topton, Kutztown is quite local for me, so I'm hoping more will come in.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>This is one slick owl. A paragon of owls.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, their southernmost winter distribution is well north of Southern Illinois (at 37°N 89°W). :(<br /> I've never seen one outside a zoo.</p>

[kts]

<p>i gave up.....</p>

[jfz]

<p>delete</p>

 

[jfz]

<p>There is one in the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge. This one was shot on the Xmas day.<br>

Good luck,<br>

jf</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>jf, thank you for sharing such a stunning image. This and Katherine's photos demonstrate why we go in search of these beautiful birds.</p>

<p>JDM, I've never even seen one in a zoo, so you're way ahead. This year I'm going to try a lot harder to see one in the wild.</p>

[katsone]

<p>Beautiful Owl jf. Thom, don't give up. JDM, it appears on a National Snowy sighting website that there are hardly any sightings in your area. It's not uncommon to have sightings along the East coast all the way down to the Carolinas. Laura, Long Island is great all year for birds. During the summer there is a nice rookery for Terns, Oyster Catchers and Black Back Skimmers just West of where the Owls are now, and due North of (the barrier island) there is a Marine Nature Study area with an Osprey nest and a Peregrine nest box. I've seen the Peregrine's on the rookery beach. It's nice to have the Snowy's to look forward to in the winter. The migrating water fowl on the ponds and lakes nearby are pretty convenient too. Come East!</p><div></div>

[ljwest]

<p>For anyone wishing to know where the Snowys are, here is a link to an <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/map/snoowl1?neg=true&env.minX=-150.993361353757&env.minY=25.00206048098424&env.maxX=-30.319533228756995&env.maxY=60.79995784350411&zh=true&gp=true&ev=Z&mr=on&bmo=11&emo=12&yr=range&byr=2010&eyr=2010">eBird live map of Snowy Owl sightings</a>.</p>

<p>While in Maine for Christmas, I observed one nearby. This one liked to perch as a "tree topper" in a conifer at sunset.</p>

<p>Recently, ten were counted at the Holgate Unit of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in NJ. All in one day, by the same observers.</p>

<p>Always respect the Owls, respect private property, and respect the boundaries at Refuges. Some folks weren't so considerate the last time we had one in NJ... </p>

[Andrew Gosden]

<p>Thanks for posting the eBird link. There have been a lot of sightings around here and I may have to track one down this winter. </p>

[ljwest]

<p>Here's a link to <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/map/snoowl1?neg=true&env.minX=-145.324416041257&env.minY=17.639908300205015&env.maxX=-35.988478541256995&env.maxY=64.43302914514787&zh=true&gp=true&ev=Z&mr=on&bmo=11&emo=12&yr=cur">Nov-Dec of 2013.</a></p>

[funkag]

<p>There's a whole flock (someone counted close to 20) of them at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA - mostly in Gull Point Natural Area. I was up there last weekend and ran into a ton of birders - I think I was the only person who wasn't there for snowy owls! </p>

[thomas_m_duffy]

<p>We have had a few sightings on the south coast in Rhode island. Ive been to darn busy to get out there</p>

[Mary Doo]

<blockquote>

<p>a few sightings on the south coast in Rhode island.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Actually I saw one less than 30 minutes' drive away from my house. It's an immature. I saw it twice - and I only looked for it twice. Its eyes remained closed both times, the first time it was on a rock and the second time mostly backlit on a dune further away. I took some shots for the memory. Thinking I need to get there early to see more interesting behavior - But I am a bit busy and it is so very cold. Perhaps it is worth trying again sometime next week.</p>

[Gup]

<p>This thread is an eye-opener for me. I've never seen a Snowy without snow or on the ground. I'm having trouble processing the thought of a Snowy Owl at the beach!</p>