Snowy Owls

Lucky for us here in B.C., this is a major snowy owl flight year. They migrate south from the arctic only once every 4 or 5 years due to decline of their primary food source, the native lemmings. Serena & I packed our binoculars and headed to Boundary Bay dyke this week. We were treated to a spectacular nature show of over a dozen snowy owls dotting the shoreline. The birds, many of them juveniles, are huge and magnificent; their gleaming white feathers shine bright against the clear blue sky. My dinky little digital camera looked extra dinky next to all those telescopic camera lenses around me. For more impressive photos, try the ones taken by photographer Pascal Marchand. It was a great experience for Serena since she just did a project on owls last year. We're just super thrilled for this rare opportunity to see these majestic snowy owls in the wild with our own eyes!

Related Reading & Resources:
Animals the Live in the Tundra: Snowy Owls by Roman Patrick
Snowy Owls: Hunters of the Snow and Ice by Elaine Landau
CBC News: Snowy owls flock south to B.C. for rare appearance