Wildlife and Keeping it WiLD

Sheila and I are so excited! We have discovered what appears to be an adult female Snowy Owl that has its territory just a few miles from where we live! To us it's the same as seeing a big white cat with black specks on her "fur", but this bird has perhaps continued coming to the area as others have seen us in our quest with eyes up, and mentioned they think this is the same snowy of years past. It's strange that since I have been here, in the field where we first sighted this lovely visitor, we have looked each winter, and hadn't seen anything ever but hawks!

Great picture, eh? Snapped with a Nikon P900.
These two images were captured where the possibly closest
owls (above) were 500ft, while others were more likely farther,
with the tops being at the Buffalo harbor looking to the
breakwater 2200ft away!!

Slightly better with my usual monster lens
on a EOS 70D with a possible distance of about 200ft

Of course it's only here when the climate turns frigid and it's just a tad difficult in trying to see it, but still, after seeing it once in a field (or anywhere else for that matter), it'll help for future sightings!

This above pix snapped in very low light so the
colors are off, but these two pixs are still much better
than ALL of our previous snowy pictures!

There have been times my eagle-eyed Sheila while driving around, and my eyes are busy looking over the passing landscape. I'll hear her say there's something over there, BUT it's probably nothing. Once I get my eyes on it to verify, it's usually something, and a Snowy Owl or an eagle/hawk! It's happened to me too, when I sight something that could be, but I think probably not, and Sheila confirms it is one of our feathered friends!

These snowys can be seen anywhere:
on top of signs, telephone posts, atop buildings and homes,
and in fields of every and any type!

I think that all creatures are basically critters of habit, and if they find a place for a few months, we can hopefully count on seeing this beauty again next winter in that one spot. 

Please remember if you do SEE a Snowy Owl:

Don't go too near. If you flush the bird (making it fly before it needs to), you could be unknowingly harming the bird. It has been said that many snowys found dead were probably flushed. In its hurry to get away, it probably flew right in front of a passing vehicle. Other causes of flushing could cause it to use up valuable energy to fly away from a human, rather than using that same energy to find prey.

Don't spend too much time "chasing" the snowy. If it spends more time looking at YOU instead of patiently waiting and looking for prey, then you have been standing either too close, or for too long. 

These birds are very patience and can sit for hours. Ask me how I know!

After you get those great images, be sure to share your fabulous snowy pictures online or with your friends! Though you may not think you have one of those winning top wildlife pictures, there are still many who have NOT seen a snowy at all!! I never even heard of these owls till I began living in WNY!!

You'll never know what their next move may be!!!