I was so excited to finally find one of the elusive Snowy Owls seen all around the New Jersey, Pennsylvania area. After looking for one reported only 50 minutes away from our home in the Dredge Spoils in National Park, N.J., and not finding it because it was scared away by a dirt biker and a man riding an A.T.V., it immediately rose to the top of my nemesis bird list. This is one of the now two Snowy Owls in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Preserve. This lifer Snowy Owl was about 300 yards out in the marsh standing on the ground. It was occasionally being harassed by a variety of gull species but it would not budge. There was apparently one other Snowy Owl in the impoundment that we did not see for it was reported just after we finished the loop. In the whole trip we finished the day with 48 species total including some lifers for my other family members such as Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal and Tundra Swan.
Snowy Owl (Digiscoped)
Snowy Owl (Digiscoped)
Snowy Owl being harassed by a Great Black-backed Gull
By the looks of this year so far it is definitely a major irruption year for Snowy Owls. As of 11/30/13, there are about eight Snowies in New Jersey and about four in Pennsylvania. Below are the pictures of Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal and Tundra Swan.
Tundra Swan
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Over-all, it was a great way to spend one of my days off from school on the Thanksgiving break.
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