Winter Owls

As many of you already know, the 2011-2012 winter has been a great one for owls. Especially Snowy Owls. I was lucky enough to make it out to Nampa, Idaho on December 31st to see the pair of Snowy Owls that took up residence in an agricultural field for the better part of two months. However, I had yet to see a Snowy Owl during any of my winter raptor surveys in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. That is, until today!

I was approaching one of my point count sites located near Kuna, Idaho in the middle of an agricultural field on the edge of my study area. Too busy locating two American Kestrels, a female Northern Harrier, and an adult Ferruginous Hawk on my way to the point, I almost missed what flushed directly in front of me! Right on top of a boulder pile where my point count site was located a male Ring-Necked Pheasant, along with a Snowy Owl flushed not 20 feet ahead of me out of some tall weeds! The bird immediate flew out of sight, but not before I was able to count it as I clicked my stopwatch on. It happened so fast that I was unable to snap any photos, and I was not able to located the bird again after the 20 minute point count, with limited access to the private land around me. However, I do have several photos here of the Snowy Owls from Nampa, Idaho: courtesy of Morgan Peters!

I thought I would also include some photos of other owls I have seen during the winter months the past two years. These are all Short-Eared Owls, with a few straggling Burrowing Owls. I have seen 7 Short-Eared Owls so far this winter, and saw my first Burrowing Owl on January 31st!

 

Neil Paprocki