Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Snowy Owl

 Female Snowy Owl (Bubo Scandiacus)

Some days you're lucky and yesterday was one of those days for me. My husband and I were looking for Snowy Owls (hey! it IS December) and we found three! This one was on a hill of dirt right beside the road (I kid you not!) and I did not get out of the car to take these photos...just opened the window.

Yes, you are looking at her back. Her head is turned around 180°.  I had to wait and wait for her to turn her head because she truly didn't appear to be in the least worried about us as long as we stayed in our car.

 Watching us, but quite unconcerned

She let me take a billion photos (a slight exaggeration).  Isn't she lovely? She and her relatives will be here until March. Then she returns to the Arctic to breed and eat her favourite food, lemmings.


Flying into a field of carrots

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

57 comments:

Phil Slade said...

What an opportunity and you didn't waste it. Fantastic close-ups. I wish I could have been in your car that day as I too would have taken a zillion shots.

Revrunner said...

An owl gone vegetarian? :-)

Pamela Gordon said...

Awesome photos! I've never seen one of these beauties.

Bethany Carson said...

Great shots! I've never seen an owl like that either!

Judy said...

Wow! Amazing!! I love the texture of her feathers!! And the image with her in flight!!!

The Furry Gnome said...

Boy, you are very lucky!

William Kendall said...

She is a beauty!

Mersad said...

Absolutely stunning wildlife shots.

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Shammickite said...

What a gorgeous girl! A snowy own flew beside my car along Stouffville Road once.... I found it very hard to keep my eyes on the road, I just wanted to look out of the window!

Kate said...

What a beautiful creature!!

Unknown said...

Marvellous captures of this fantastic bird!

Darla said...

Great detail in these photo's. Imagine being able to turn your head like that, LOL!

Darla

Mary Hone said...

Oh my, how lucky you were. So beautiful!

Judy said...

How lucky can you get! You got some awesome pictures of this beautiful bird.

TexWisGirl said...

just amazing! i'd take a billion shots, too!

MadSnapper said...

she is gorgeous. I guess I will never see one unless one gets lost and makes it to Florida.. i just wish I could turn my head to the left and right like i used to..

Halcyon said...

You are the luckiest, EG! Wow!!! I've never seen owls outside of a zoo. And she really looks like she's posing for you. She's even got her cool, model face on. Love it!!

Al said...

She is a beauty - what great shots, right from the car!

Lowell said...

This story is incredible! How lucky you were! It's a gorgeous bird and your photos are splendiferous!

Linda W. said...

What beautiful birds. Great photos! Lucky find!

JRandSue said...

Super captures,my favorite owl.
John.

Sylvia K said...

Awesome!!! And, yes, I would have taken a billion pics, too!! That first one in particular took my breath away!! Such incredible detail!! And he did pose for you didn't he!!! A super star today in bird world!

21 Wits said...

Beautiful. Don't know what it is, but they sure are a master of beauty, in every way!

Modesto Viegas said...

Great shots!!!

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

WOW! What a fantastic find and beautiful bird. Roll on some more shots of it!

Jenn said...

Wow, great shots! I haven't seen any around here yet, lucky girl :)

DeniseinVA said...

An amazing bird and you took some incredible photos. How exciting to see one but three? Wow!

Anonymous said...

awesome sighting

Unknown said...

Gorgeous shots! It's amazing that they can turn their heads around like that.

Rohrerbot said...

WOW!!!! Congrats! They are beautiful owls and your pics are great. Any owl is awesome but there's something special about the Snowy......

Debbie said...

oohhhhhh really!!! and a flight shot too??? man, what an exciting sighting!!!!!

RedPat said...

Wow, Eg, you are so lucky! These are fabulous shots. Wow!

eileeninmd said...

Beautiful shots of the Snowy Owl! Awesome sightings!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh my!! Just gorgeous, and what a special surprise! She must have known you were her friend. We saw one many years ago when we were young. I have never forgotten the experience, it is so magical. Your pictures are really extraordinary, especially in flight she is so beautiful. A surprising and wonderful post today.

Carver said...

Wow, fantastic shots of the snowy owl!

Gail Dixon said...

Oh. My. Goodness. Fabulous shots!! I hope they will consider visiting our area one day. Brilliant images!!!

A Colorful World said...

Wow! Incredible photos of an amazing bird! Great encounter close to your car! I do have a question--carrot field? Why are the carrots lying on top of the ground? Were they pulled up and just not harvested yet?

Ruth Hiebert said...

Yes,you were very lucky. These are amazing shots.

Michelle said...

What a beautiful girl! Lucky you!

Jack said...

Yes, you were indeed lucky. You got very clear photos of the owls.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

She is beautiful and so noble also.

Craver Vii said...

She looks rather sleepy, doesn't she? I gather that lemmings eat carrots.

Randy said...

Beautiful markings.

Stephanie said...

Splendid shots!

Cloudia said...

THRILLING!!!!!!!!!!! Truly!




ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

That is just amazing! They are the prettiest owls and I've only seen one once...years ago in Colorado. Love your photos! Hugs!

Hootin Anni said...

Oh my goodness...oh my GOODNESS!!!

I am so much in awe of your photo shares. Incredibly extraordinary.

Anonymous said...

Majestic!

Jenny said...

I love the way in the first photo she is looking right at you -bird to woman, so to speak. Majestic birds, for sure.

cieldequimper said...

Wow. Magnificent owl and your shots are amazing!

NatureFootstep said...

this is a lovely owl and you are lucky to have it :) Gorgeous shots too.

Donna said...

You are very lucky indeed to have seen her. Love these owls.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Oh you lucky duck!!! Beautiful...just beautiful!...:)JP

Hannah said...

Wonderful photos of the Snowy owl up close, it's so beautiful and great that it turned its head around for your photos. It's feathers are gorgeous, and look so warm. The bird is flight is great too, I like the little finger-like feathers at the ends of the wings. I have seen glimpses of a large white owl flying here at night but never got a daytime view.

Stewart M said...

What a stunning bird. I love that last shot, it looks like no shots of this species I have ever seen. Great.

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

Wally Jones said...

These are superb photographs of a really gorgeous owl!

Congratulations on taking full advantage of a rare opportunity!

(I'm trying to not be jealous - but it isn't working.)

kayerj said...

Wow! what a great shot!

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.