I can now add the Snowy Owl to my Life List! A few days after a snowstorm dumped up to 17 inches of snow and ice around the area and the temperatures plummeted I was able to join a friend and hit the roads. With sightings all around us since early December we headed to one of my favorite places...Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. With numerous sightings in the area we drove the road to the main hiking trail seeing White Tailed Deer, Snow Buntings and Horned Larks all along the roadway. With the trails still under a lot of snow we decided to make this a driving day and we headed to the nearest main road. Driving south a few miles we took an east/west road that runs through an area known locally as "The Big Prairie." And this choice led to our lucky day! Sitting on the top of a telephone pole just a few feet off the road sat this beautiful immature female Snowy Owl. We watched each other for a while and than she slowly flew off, low over the ground. She was spotted again the next day very close to the same spot. I have been out twice more driving the roads that crisscross this area but I haven't come across any more. But reports are still coming in of sightings throughout this area. I will be going back!
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