Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiaca):
The Snowy Owl is a large white owl which inhabits the northern polar regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Females are larger and darker and males are smaller and whiter.
In July 2003 the AOU changed the Snowy Owl's old name of Nyctea scandiacus to Bubo scandiacus, to reflect that the Snowy Owl is really an Arctic form of eagle-owl, a large powerful owl which inhabits most of Europe and Asia.
In the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, and eastern Canada, Snowy Owls are irruptive, appearing only in some winters but not in others. In 2011 Snowy Owls began appearing throughout Washington State. On a visit to Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington, in December 2011, this web author saw five different Snowy Owls, while other folks over the days had seen up to eight.
PLEASE NOTE: the images you see here from Damon Point, Ocean Shores, are heavily cropped ... these images were shot with a Canon 7d and 400mm lens and keeping back from the Owls ... do NOT creep in close to the Owls and disturb them !!! ... you can get just as nice shots from a distance and then crop them large on your computer ... Lyn
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Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington ...
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Snowy Owl, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owl, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Feathering ... Snowy Owl, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Feathering ... Snowy Owl, female, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owl, female, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owl, female, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owl, male, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owl, male, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owls, female, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owls, male, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owls, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Female on left and male on right.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owls, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Male on left and female on right.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Click image to enlarge
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Snowy Owl, Damon Point, Ocean Shores, Washington.
Cold overcast mid-day.
Image taken December 3, 2011.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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This was the first of five different Snowy Owls I saw this trip. Others that day reported seeing at least eight owls on Damon Point.
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Shillapoo Wildlife Area, Vancouver, Washington ...
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Snowy Owl (right image digiscoped) Shillapoo Wildlife Area, Vancouver, Washington.
Overcast gray morning.
Image taken December 14, 2011.
Left image Canon 7d, 400mm.
Right image digiscoped Nikon Prostaff 65 with Canon S95.
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