Snowshoe Snowy (Owl Trifecta at Dawn)

Up in Sax-Zim Bog there is a female Snowy Owl which rarely hunts near any road. Most views of this bird are from 3/4 of mile away. This morning a bit after sunrise I decided today was the perfect day to snowshoe the 3/4 mile from Hwy #7 to said Snowy Owl (1.5 miles round trip). The weather was perfect … starting at 3F and ending at 28F with light winds.

If you know where this Snowy hangs out, there is no sneaking up on the bird, and any wind would make the snowshoe trip very, very cold. However, Madam Snowy decided said human (i.e. me) was harmless and waited for me to make my long approach.

While I was only 1/2 the way across the open meadow, the owl took off on an aborted hunt, but returned to the same perch. I was rather concerned all my efforts would be for naught, but that was not the case.

It was actually a great trifecta of a morning with a Great Gray right at sunrise, and then a Hawk Owl. I did all my birding along Hwy #7 except for a hike far back in along the South Logging Road Trail from McDavitt (saw nothing).

As always it was great time in the Bog, and hiking / snowshoeing away from the road I was rewarded with private time with some neat birds. Even with the snowshoes I broke through the crust at times … falling on multiple occasions. I was still home by 12 noon (brief stop for lunch), and then enjoyed a warm sunny Nordic ski on the Lester Amity Ski Trails. The mercury at this point was up to 43F. Great day.

Snowshoe Snowy Owl