Snowy Owl

November 15, 2011

I first encountered a Snowy Owl here on the Olympic Peninsula on November 15, 2011. There were at least six of them here that winter, and some stayed into January. In November 2012 a few more showed up on Dungeness Spit and in the 3 Crabs area, where I was fortunate enough to photograph them again. Then much to everyone's surprise, one was back in March 2013. I found it perched on a weather vane on a house on 3 Crabs Road.

When I first started walking to the Dungeness Lighthouse with Rod, he said Snowy Owls usually showed up here every 5-7 years. It has now been over ten years since the last one was reported locally. Perhaps we are due for another influx late this year.

Below are my favorite images taken after that first magical day when I first saw one on Dungeness Spit.

December 21, 2011

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 12/21/2011

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Snowy Owl dodging a Northern Harrier; Dungeness, WA 12/21/2011

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 12/21/2011

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 12/21/2011

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Snowy Owl with Dungeness Lighthouse in background; Dungeness, WA 12/21/2011

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January 3, 2012

Today was the last time I saw the Snowy Owls until a few returned in November.

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Snowy Owl; on Dungeness Spit, WA 1/3/2012

November 14, 2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/14/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/14/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/14/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/14/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/14/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/14/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/16/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/16/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 11/21/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 12/10/2012

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 12/10/2012

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March 7, 2013

Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 3/7/2013

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 3/7/2013

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Snowy Owl; Dungeness, WA 3/7/2013