Snowy Owl
(Bubo scandiaca)
Digiscoped photos taken at Montrose Point, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 5 November 2000.
This owl showed up in late October and stuck around to the delight of many. These photos were taken on an unseasonably warm Sunday along the Chicago lakefront. Dozens of cyclists, joggers, rollerbladers, and families out strolling all passed underneath this owl's perch, and the owl just slept. As dusk approached, the owl woke up, stretched its wings (first two photos), produced a pellet, and flew to a tree just above us (last photo). It then flew off over Lake Michigan, presumably in search of a meal. The owl hung around the area for several more weeks, despite the park being full of people. I returned several more times, and saw it eating an American Coot on two different occasions.
