Finally nailed an Artic Migrant

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

 

[j-bird]

Not a "birder" myself - but that looks like a Snowy Owl? I didn't know owls migrated.

 

[sandbur]

Great job, Steve!

I think the snowy owls move south in winters when their feed source (lemmings?) are in a down cycle.

 

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

They come down from the artic from time to time. They used to think it was because they were starving. However it appears that is not always the case with Snowy Owls. The same healthy owls keep showing up in some places year after year now. They are very tame and not afraid of people at all when they show up. I found 3 of them within 8 miles of my house the other day.

 

[wiscwhip]

When my parents first bought their old place, we had an old abandoned farmstead just down the street. Every winter for 4 years we had a huge male that spent the winter in the old barn and it perched on top of the decrepit concrete silo and hunted in the overgrown fields behind the old barnyard. Really cool to watch, spent quite a few hours watching him in the cold.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Cool picture! Some do migrate south as a result of not finding enough food. I had the privilege of doing the taxidermy work on one for our Game and Parks Commission last summer. That thing was skin and bones! Mount turned out very nice though.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Wow. that is awesome.

 

[tooln]

How close were you able to get for the pic? Cool pic by the way.

 

[SD51555]

How do you cook those Steve? :D

 

[Jason]

i hit one with my car once. got out and all the white feathers made it look like it was snowing. i called the dnr because a friend wanted to keep it and mount it. dnr said he could throw me in jail for touching it. lol.

 

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

The closest I could get to this one was about 15 to 20 yds.

 

[shawnv]

That is not an easy shot to get, awesome!

 

[Jason]

by the way, that's an incredible picture. keep them coming, you get some amazing pictures.

 

[j-bird]

Steve - I always have to check my gut reaction when I see your posts.

First thing that comes to my mind is, "Holy crap this guy shot a snowy owl! He is going to be in DEEP SHIT! Nice knowing you Steve - going to be hard staying in touch while your in the POKEY!"

I tend to forget you are armed with a CAMERA!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Great pic, Steve. As far as migrating goes, one of our Pa. outdoor writers saw one at a neighbor's farm just outside of Harrisburg, Pa. That's not very far north of the Maryland line!!! He was shocked to see one that far south, and took some pix for proof. Keep the pix coming, Steve. They're all great to see.

 

[John-W-WI]

Amazing picture as always Steve.... I would LOVE to see one myself.

-John

 

[gwm]

Nice picture.