The Arctic came visiting early this fall. Reed Webster found this Snowy Owl in Westminster, Vermont, on October 25 – our first report of the season.
Since then, we’ve seen many more owls in the Northeast, including a few more here in Vermont.
In winters when Snowy Owls do visit, they usually begin to arrive here in New England by mid to late November. So our next Snowy Owl was right on schedule – a bird discovered on November 16 on Oak Hill Road between Hinesburg and Williston.
But more Snowy Owls may be in our future. A quick look at an eBird map reveals Snowy Owl sightings so far this month. (When you view the map, click the “Show Points Sooner” box for a better view of owl locations.) Here in Vermont the most recent sightings are from the Sandbar Causeway on Lake Champlain.
That fits a pattern, as the eBird map suggests, a good place to begin is near big bodies of water. To get you in the mood, here’s my essay in Aeon Magazine about finding humility during last winter’s owl invasion. And thanks to Reed for his image!
