Texas Snowy Owl

Hello all, A new lifer bird for me. There had been reports of a Snowy Owl in a park nearby inconsistently for the past couple of weeks. Well after word got around people started looking and finally this very unpredictable Owl showed up. I captured these images of the Snowy Owl yesterday. I believe it is only the 6th record for a Snowy in Texas.

Although it was a nasty day, rained nearly all day... I was really excited. I feel pretty lucky to have such a rare bird (for this area) show up so close to me.

These are not the greatest shots but you take what you can get sometimes. Thanks for looking in.

Very cool find. I never see Owls. I am surprised they are that far south. I was just watching Saturday Night live and I heard some Owls outside, and they sounded really close in the trees behind my place and I still could not find them with a flashlight. Around here they tend to stay hidden during the day and only come out late at night.

I had no idea we have Snowy Owls. Congrats on the shots!

Neat find. Congrats. Nice pics btw.

Good for you Brad! Congratulations!

I love the looking up his lips pose in the second one.

That's fantastic Brad! Who would have thought a Snowy would end up in Texas.
No need to apologize for your captures as they are plenty good enough to determine who the bird is, and the 2nd image is actually quite nice. Well done.

Great find and a better capture... congrats on the lifer Brad... a beautiful female snowy and it looks like a less bright day so you could get shots with the eyes open, which is even more fortunate.
Just seeing one is an amazing sight, especially that far south.

Dave

Lucky you! I'd love to see one. I really like #2. You did good considering the weather. Very nice indeed.

Congrats to you, they sure are showing up all over. This one seems to have more brown than any other I have seen, maybe that helps hunting where you are. Gear set!

Big congrats Brad....Great shots. Maybe there's a chance that one of these years, one will find it's way to lower Alabama.

That is one, dirty bird . Congrats on capturing images of such a rare visitor to your area!

What a great opportunity, Brad. Big congrats on not only seeing him but capturing him as well. Well done.

No Angle wrote in post #13923201
Very cool find. I never see Owls. I am surprised they are that far south. I was just watching Saturday Night live and I heard some Owls outside, and they sounded really close in the trees behind my place and I still could not find them with a flashlight. Around here they tend to stay hidden during the day and only come out late at night.

Thanks NoAngle, I hear Great-horned Owls quite often around here and occasionally see them perched on top of houses right before dark.

bubbajack wrote in post #13923526
I had no idea we have Snowy Owls. Congrats on the shots!

Thanks a lot Curt, This is quite special and rare. This only the 6th Texas state record for Snowy Owls.

Northontguy wrote in post #13923536
Neat find. Congrats. Nice pics btw.

Thanks Northontguy, Its appreciated.

Diamond Lil wrote in post #13923595
Good for you Brad! Congratulations!

I love the looking up his lips pose in the second one.

Thank you Lil, She is definitely the looker.

CamFan01 wrote in post #13923602
That's fantastic Brad! Who would have thought a Snowy would end up in Texas.
No need to apologize for your captures as they are plenty good enough to determine who the bird is, and the 2nd image is actually quite nice. Well done.

Thanks for the kind words Steve, It's appreciated. It's a surprise for us and bird watchers from all over the state.

dbriz wrote in post #13923630
Great find and a better capture... congrats on the lifer Brad... a beautiful female snowy and it looks like a less bright day so you could get shots with the eyes open, which is even more fortunate.
Just seeing one is an amazing sight, especially that far south.

Dave

Its appreciated Dave, It was a sight and she stuck around yesterday so I have some sunny images too. A few of us braved the steady rain that day and stayed with her for a few hours. In the second image she had just flown from a light pole directly over the top of me onto a utility pole behind me so she was alert.

Grizz wrote in post #13923854
Lucky you! I'd love to see one. I really like #2. You did good considering the weather. Very nice indeed.

Thanks Craig, I was pretty difficult to get shots with all the rain but I couldn't miss the opportunity.

BGgraphy wrote in post #13925241
Congrats to you, they sure are showing up all over. This one seems to have more brown than any other I have seen, maybe that helps hunting where you are. Gear set!

Thanks Bret, They've been popping up all over. She regurgitated a pellet yesterday and a birdwatcher collected it and took it to a Texas Park & Wildlife biologist to have it analyzed to see what it has been eating lately. It looked like there were feather quills mixed in there amongst other stuff.

Shar824 wrote in post #13926200
Big congrats Brad....Great shots. Maybe there's a chance that one of these years, one will find it's way to lower Alabama.

Thank you Sharon, There is always a chance. I hope you get to see one.

Snydremark wrote in post #13926239
That is one, dirty bird . Congrats on capturing images of such a rare visitor to your area!

Thanks a bunch Eric, The sun came out yesterday and she was nice and pretty and posed for a few shots.

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #13926431
What a great opportunity, Brad. Big congrats on not only seeing him but capturing him as well. Well done.

Thank you Levina, It was special. The Snowy Owl was one of my top "to see birds". Now I can scratch that off.

Hi Brad -

Did you find the Snowy in the DFW area? I'd love to know the area if so...thanks!

Nice shots.

Folks have been looking out for them all winter, but no sightings in Nevada.