Snowy Owl near Regina, Saskatchewan

Two Snowy Owls so far this winter near Regina, Saskatchewan. At least, that's all I've seen in the area northwest of the city, and I believe they are the same Arctic birds, as each is always in the same place on the prairie, making me suspect they've chosen their winter-in-the-south territory.

I saw this Snowy Owl, below, first on New Year's Day, and then again in early February — on what I swear is the exact same power pole! (At the same small bend in the same rural road, anyway.)

Snowy Owl, on the road to Pense, Saskatchewan  © SB

Based on its extensive dark markings (and what All About Birds has to say about that), I would guess it's an immature female. From what I can see, young female Snowy Owls are the most heavily barred with black.

I love these birds! They make me happy when I just drive by them!

And while so far, I haven't seen any signs of an irruption of the scale we saw here during winter 2011/12 — during which I saw them within 15 minutes on every road I took outside of Regina! — I am just so happy any time I leave the city and receive the gift of seeing a Snowy Owl in a field or on a power pole. (They seem to love power poles — height, hunting viewpoints, and few entanglements for their six-foot wingspan.)

This owl, for those wondering, was about half an hour west of Regina; my other owl (who likes hanging out in heavy, unphotographable glare or shadow) is just a few minutes away.

For pictures of Snowy Owls from last year, you might be interested in these from this blog and Latitude Drifts, one of my other blogs:

• Immature male, on pole;
• Several Snowy Owls, including a few in flight; and
• A lovely mature male Snowy Owl —  almost totally white. 

What is this? Snowy Owl.

Location: Near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (on the road to the Town of Pense). 

Photo date: February 4, 2013. 

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