Kim Smith | A Snowy Owl Comes to Cape Ann @KimSmithDesigns | Uploaded April 2020 | Updated October 2024, 4 hours ago.
A Snowy Owl Comes to Cape Ann
Part One: Introduction
During the winter of 2017- 2018 a beautiful and remarkably tolerant Snowy Owl migrated to Cape Ann’s coastal back shore.
Although mild-natured around people, she was the fiercest of hunters. From her rock perches and hotel roof top vantage points, Snowy Owl could fly to the east over the Atlantic to capture a sea duck for dinner or to the west over the golf course and wood-edged fields to hunt for rabbit, mouse, or shrew.
During the mid-day hours, she mostly slept, tucked amongst rooftop ventilators and rocky outposts, trying to stay hidden from dive-bombing crows.
By weight, Snowy Owls are North America’s largest owl, weighing as much as 6 pounds, with a wingspan up to five feet. Compare the Snowy to the Eastern Screech Owl, which is the size of a robin and weighs only half a pound.
In the summer months, Snowies live and nest in the Arctic tundra. During the winter they journey south to similar scapes that feel like home; to windswept airports, rocky beaches, fields, marshes, and dunes. (Crane beach flight)
Both female and male Snowy Owls are barred with dark gray and brown when they are young, becoming whiter with age. Very generally speaking, female Snowies keep dark markings throughout their lives. The palest females and the darkest males are nearly alike in color, but the whitest birds are almost always males.
Late afternoon and Snowy Owl would awaken to begin her nightly hunting ritual.
A Snowy Owl Comes to Cape Ann
Part One: Introduction
During the winter of 2017- 2018 a beautiful and remarkably tolerant Snowy Owl migrated to Cape Ann’s coastal back shore.
Although mild-natured around people, she was the fiercest of hunters. From her rock perches and hotel roof top vantage points, Snowy Owl could fly to the east over the Atlantic to capture a sea duck for dinner or to the west over the golf course and wood-edged fields to hunt for rabbit, mouse, or shrew.
During the mid-day hours, she mostly slept, tucked amongst rooftop ventilators and rocky outposts, trying to stay hidden from dive-bombing crows.
By weight, Snowy Owls are North America’s largest owl, weighing as much as 6 pounds, with a wingspan up to five feet. Compare the Snowy to the Eastern Screech Owl, which is the size of a robin and weighs only half a pound.
In the summer months, Snowies live and nest in the Arctic tundra. During the winter they journey south to similar scapes that feel like home; to windswept airports, rocky beaches, fields, marshes, and dunes. (Crane beach flight)
Both female and male Snowy Owls are barred with dark gray and brown when they are young, becoming whiter with age. Very generally speaking, female Snowies keep dark markings throughout their lives. The palest females and the darkest males are nearly alike in color, but the whitest birds are almost always males.
Late afternoon and Snowy Owl would awaken to begin her nightly hunting ritual.
