Tag Archives: Snowy Owls

I made a trip to the Milwaukee Lakefront early in the morning in search of Snowy Owls. Present was a hatch year male Snowy Owl at Lakeshore State Park. Another owl was on a pier dock at Discovery World close to Lakeshore SP. The owl at Lakeshore State Park was flushed when a couple of fishermen unknowingly scared it off coming into the area the owl was. It was a cloudy and windy morning with temps around 38 degrees. It was a cloudy and windy morning with temps around 38 degrees. Images were taken on November 24, 2021.

A hatch year male sits on a rock at Lakeshore State Park…

It takes to the sky when fisherman unknowingly walk into the area…

At the pier…a female

On a gloomy day with some on and off snow flurries the highlight on Milwaukee’s lakefront today was finding a Snowy Owl at the Lake Express Ferry. It sat on a container the time I was there. Bruce joined me and enjoyed the views too. We had been together earlier at Bradford Beach watching 4 nice Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach but were in the water more than out. The Snowy Owl seemed to be in the hunting mode but never went for anything. It did some preening and resting but that was about it. I think it is a male but have not really studied it yet. A nice way to end the year with seeing the 1st Snowy Owl of the season. 2 hunting Northern Harriers  and a American Kestrel also made themselves present at the Lake Express. Images were taken on December 30, 2015.

Snowy Owl

Binomial name: Bubo scandiacus

Category: Typical Owls

Description: Adult males are mostly white with a few dark feather tips.  Adult females and juveniles are white with dark scalloping on chest, back, wings, and tail.  Yellow eyes, black beak, and feathery feet.

Size: 20”- 28” long, 49” – 59” wingspan

Weight: 3.5 lb. – 6.6 lb.

Habitat: Wide open, treeless spaces such as shorelines, lakes, open fields, and agricultural sites.

Diet: Small mammals such as rodents, lemmings, voles, mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and other birds such as shorebirds, songbirds, ducks, geese, and pheasants.

Nesting: The female builds a nest on a mound with good visibility.  She scrapes away the top layer of soil and, over several days, presses her body into the ground to make a depression.  She will lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs and incubate them for about 5 weeks.  Both parents will defend the nest and care for the hatchlings which are born pure white.  The same nest may be used year after year.

Notes: Snowy owls are considered the heaviest owl in North America, weighing about a pound more than its closest contender, the Great Horned Owl.  A snowy owl was featured in the Harry Potter series when Harry received his pet, Hedwig.  It is also the official bird of Quebec.

I made another run up near Horicon Marsh to see what was happening. For the most part the day was slow but there was some excitement at times. One Snowy Owl put on a show a few times going for prey and just off hunting. One time going for prey it got something out of sight in the cattails. On another long run I think its prey off the ice but it was fast action and I missed it. Some sun was in the forecast I read for today, but it was just another cloudy day, cold with low winds. It always amazes me the speed these birds have as they travel long distances in only seconds. Images were taken on January 16, 2015.

Going for the prey!

Snowy Owl

Binomial name: Bubo scandiacus

Category: Typical Owls

Description: Adult males are mostly white with a few dark feather tips.  Adult females and juveniles are white with dark scalloping on chest, back, wings, and tail.  Yellow eyes, black beak, and feathery feet.

Size: 20”- 28” long, 49” – 59” wingspan

Weight: 3.5 lb. – 6.6 lb.

Habitat: Wide open, treeless spaces such as shorelines, lakes, open fields, and agricultural sites.

Diet: Small mammals such as rodents, lemmings, voles, mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and other birds such as shorebirds, songbirds, ducks, geese, and pheasants.

Nesting: The female builds a nest on a mound with good visibility.  She scrapes away the top layer of soil and, over several days, presses her body into the ground to make a depression.  She will lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs and incubate them for about 5 weeks.  Both parents will defend the nest and care for the hatchlings which are born pure white.  The same nest may be used year after year.

Notes: Snowy owls are considered the heaviest owl in North America, weighing about a pound more than its closest contender, the Great Horned Owl.  A snowy owl was featured in the Harry Potter series when Harry received his pet, Hedwig.  It is also the official bird of Quebec.

Going for the prey!

Going for the prey!

Going for the prey!

Going for the prey!

Across the ice to a hunting perch!

Across the ice to a hunting perch!

Hunting

Hunting

Hunting

Hunting

Hunting

Hunting

Takes flight for potential prey!

Two Snowy Owls in this image, doc shot.