Tag Archives: Snowy Owls

Important Information for Cape Ann Wildlife Supporters!

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Do you want to help rid our community of rat poison, specifically SGARS, which is the rat poison attributed to killing our local hawks, eagles, owls, and falcons? Please attend the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aril 8th, and read the following from Caroline Haines, founder of the organization Rescue Gloucester Wildlife.

Dear Rescue Gloucester Wildlife supporters,

 

There is good news regarding our efforts to eliminate or reduce the use of SGARS (second-generation anti-coagulant rodenticides) in Gloucester. The Gloucester City Council will consider a proposed ordinance to ban the use of rodenticides on city owned property.  It is scheduled for a Public Hearing at the next council meeting on Tuesday April 8th at City Hall. The meeting begins at 6, but the agenda is lengthy, and the ordinance is not early on the agenda. Advocates will have three minutes to speak about the proposal.  I will be speaking, and I plan to prepare ahead so that I can get all of my points squeezed in, in the allotted time. I hope that many of you will consider giving heartfelt testimony, too. If you are not able to attend, sending an email or making a call to a councilor is another way you can make an impact. There is a lot of support on the council itself, but the more they hear from us, the better. Councilors Gilman, Gross, Grace, Nolan, and Benson have been very encouraging and helpful. And Councilor Worthley put the motion forward. 

 

Currently the proposed ordinance is being reviewed by the city’s legal department and some technical language is being revised.  There is a caveat in subsection (d) that allows that “the Director of Public Works may choose, after determining that less toxic integrated pest management strategies would be or are ineffective, to use SGARS for the period of time he/she deems necessary. The only requirement is that he/she share this information publicly as well as directly with the Mayor and the City Council.”   This is somewhat concerning. I would prefer a clear time limit on the temporary use of SGARS and I don’t like the “would be” language, which seems to imply that the DPW doesn’t have to try integrated pest management first, before resorting to rodenticide use. If this concerns you, too, please speak up about it, or email your councilor. Council email addresses are simply first initial, last name @gloucester-ma.gov  (i.e., tgross@gloucester-ma.gov).

 

Council Chair Tony Gross has promised to keep me posted if the proposed ordinance is rescheduled for any reason.  I will post on our Rescue Gloucester Wildlife Facebook page if this should happen. Otherwise, I hope to see some of you at the Council meeting on April 8th.  Thank you all for interest and efforts in eliminating these destructive poisons from our environment.

 

Onward,
Caroline Haines

TWO MORE DEAD SNOWY OWLS

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Two more dead Snowies. I hope so much it is not bird flu however that is only one of a number of reasons why Snowies are struggling to survive in our region.  As quoted in the article by RI Department of Environmental Management “LaCross said the owls face new challenges when they journey south. Human disturbance, different predators, and lack of habitat are all contributing factors hampering the chances of survival for Snowy Owls in our area.”

We can add rodenticide. Testing was not done on the Rhode Island Owl, but the Duxbury bird was swabbed.

A second very thoughtful and super helpful article about safely viewing Snowy Owls in my inbox today, this from Mass Audubon –

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Snowy Owls Are Back in Massachusetts—Here’s What You Need to Know

Mass Audubon December 3, 2024

Every fall, usually in November, enchanted visitors make their way from the Arctic tundra to the (relatively) warmer lands in Massachusetts. With white feathers speckled grey and piercing yellow eyes, the return of Snowy Owls brings joy to birders, photographers, and Harry Potter fans alike. These majestic birds spend the winter in open spaces such as large salt marshes, agricultural fields, and even airports, before heading back to their northern breeding grounds around April.

While their arrival causes excitement among many, there are a few important things to keep in mind before searching them out.

Why Am I Hearing More About Snowy Owls Now?

Snowy Owls (or “snowies”) travel south every winter to hunt and feed in warmer weather, but the number that appear each season varies from year to year. An irruptive species, they respond to changes in the conditions of their home territory by moving elsewhere in search of food. Some of the factors that trigger irruptions include variations in their Arctic food supply, severe snow and ice cover in their usual wintering areas, or a superabundance of owls resulting from an exceptional nesting season.

Snowy Owl swooping on beach dune. Photo by Marilyn Blake

Snowy Owls Face Challenges

Most of the owls found in Massachusetts during the winter are young, inexperienced, and face many challenges. They must master hunting prey and evading predators; avoid being hit by vehicles or getting electrocuted; fend off disease and rodenticide poison; and deal with disruptions by people while roosting and hunting. While some challenges are beyond our control, individual actions can help minimize human disturbances.

Don’t Disturb the Snowies While Viewing Them

As a community of bird-lovers and conservationists, we can avoid making survival any more difficult for these spectacular raptors by giving them plenty of space.

Primarily nocturnal, Snowy Owls mostly roost (rest or sleep) during the daytime to conserve energy. Groups of observers can keep Snowy Owls from resting; birds are often forced to fly and relocate repeatedly if multiple photographers or birders approach them. To protect the Snowy Owls, give them the space they need to survive.

Distance is Key: When observing an owl, stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) away. That’s about half of a football field, or five school buses stacked end-to-end. Bring and utilize your binoculars or a zoom camera lens to keep your distance while viewing.
Manage Your Group: When viewing an owl with a group of people, view from one location and never surround or attempt to approach the owl to get a better view or photograph.
Watch for Behavioral Clues: If the bird becomes alert, extends its neck upright, and eyes become wide open, you have disturbed it and you should back off immediately.
By following these ethical birding and bird photography best practices, you can help ensure a successful breeding season for future generations.

How Mass Audubon is Helping Snowy Owls

Norman Smith Photo by John Cole

Logan Airport has the largest known concentration of Snowy Owls in the Northeast. The airport owls help by scaring away other birds that might endanger aircraft. Unfortunately, they are also large enough to pose a threat themselves. To protect both birds and jets, Mass Audubon’s Norman Smith has been safely capturing and relocating Snowy Owls since 1981. These re-releases allow our team to learn more about the birds’ health, flight patterns, and more. Learn more about the Snowy Owl Project

Explore Opportunities to View Snowy Owls Respectfully

Mass Audubon offers bird walks and Snowy Owl-focused programs, where our expert naturalists will lead the way in observing owls without disrupting their much-needed daytime rest.

Stop at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton for a guaranteed way to see two Snowy Owls up close without disturbing them. The owls in their exhibit cannot survive in the wild due to injuries and now serves as animal ambassadors.

Today in the Gloucester Daily Times – Snowy Owl’s return to region brings back birding debate

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Fantastic article about viewing owls safely in today’s Gloucester Daily Times – 

By Dave Rogers, with contributions from Ethan Forman

The recent return of snowy owls to the region has rekindled a longstanding debate whether birders and photographers get too close to comfort for the birds of prey.

It has also prompted the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge to issue a cautionary statement after one was spotted recently on a refuge beach.

“Promoting ethical wildlife watching behavior is critical to our mission at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge,” the statement reads. “We appreciate the many people who have reached out recently for tips on engaging in ethical wildlife observation, as well as how to talk with their friends, family, and other visitors when they witness unsafe behaviors.”

The refuge also offered a series of tips including staying at least 100 yards away from the birds and other wildlife. If an animal reacts to a person’s presence, he or she is too close.

READ MORE HERE

Photos Courtesy DCR

OWLS NEED SPACE – BRAND NEW SIGNS!!

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We can thank Lis Kernan, Sean Riley, and the super caring and dedicated team of wildlife biologists at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation for the fantastic new signage at north of Boston beaches. They saw a need and without hesitation, immediately erected the informational signs. Great Job everyone! Thank you, and the owls thank you, too!!

A recently arrived Snowy Owls was killed in traffic last weekend. When you have a moment please read or listen to this very well-written and clearly stated article “Our Obsession with Owls is Threatening Them,” by Tina Morris.

Note that the following three Cornell range maps of the three owls that people are hounding the most illustrates that they all breed in areas much further north, represented by orange. The population of these three species is thought to be declining in the Northeast (that’s us!). Blue denotes the owl’s non-breeding winter range. They are here to rest and find food. They are not here for our personal entertainment. Please don’t be one of the persons alerting people to the presence of owls on social media platforms, clicking likes for their posts, or park yourself with one of these Threatened and Vulnerable Species owls all the day long.  Take a few photos and please, move on. Thank you!

Snowy Owl Range Map  – Considered Vulnerable – population decreasing.

Short-eared Owl Range Map – Threatened or Endangered in seven northeastern U .S.states.

Long-eared Owl Range Map – Since 1970,  population has declined by 91 percent in North America.  

NEW YOUTUBE SHOW “GOOD NEWS CAPE ANN!” EPISODE #4

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Good News Cape Ann! 

Topics Episode #4

Thank you Friends for watching! Links to topics provided below

 Timelapse sunrise over Salt Island (see end of video)

Ospreys catch a Skate!

Coronavirus – Sending much love and prayers to my family of friends who are suffering so greatly.

Nicole Duckworth’s birthday parade

Time to put your hummingbird feeders out -how to attract hummingbirds and keep them coming to your garden

Cape Ann List of ToGo Curbside Pickup TakeOut Restaurants

Fisherman’s Wharf Gloucester and Sole Amandine Recipe

Gloucester Bites

Allie’s Beach Street Café

Turner’s Seafood

Castaways Vintage Café

Melissa Tarr’s Naan bread

Monarch Butterflies Mating

Piping Plovers nestling

Project SNOWStorm shares

Turkeys in the morning sun and Turkey bromance (correction – there was one hen with the group of toms).

Chocolate-dipped almond biscotti recipe

Please write if there is a Good News topic you would like to share. I am thinking about changing the name of the show to Finding Hope, what do you think about that?

HAWK-ON-THE-HUNT JOINS US AT CAPT. JOE’S FOR THE GMG PODCAST

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Perched on the lobster traps, I only had a fleeting moment to take a photo pulling into the parking lot at Captain Joe’s. While getting my camera out, the Hawk appeared to pop into a lobster trap. He popped back out, I took a snapshot under cover of car, then off he flew.

Raptors such as Sharp-shinned Hawks and Peregrine Falcons are attracted to lobster pots because the traps often house songbirds such as sparrows. The smaller birds eat the crusty tidbits found on the pots and the larger birds have learned to find a tasty meal there.

Sharp-shinned Hawk Range Map

Several years back when there was a male Snowy Owl at Captain Joe’s, a Peregrine Falcon flew on the scene, defending his territory by repeatedly dive bombing the Owl. The Falcon disturbed him so much so that the Snowy eventually departed.

Snowy Owl Sleeping – Please Do Not Disturb

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I dream about Snowies sometimes, especially in wintertime. I wonder if Snowies dream–probably, if they do, its all about tasty morsels 🙂

Sleepy Snowy Boy in the wildflower patch.

Do Snowy Owls, like other owl species, feed at night?

Snowy Owls are crepuscular (active and feed at dawn and dusk), diurnal (hunt during the day time), and nocturnal (hunt during darkness). Mostly, while wintering in our region, they rest during the daylight hours. When you see a Snowy sleeping, whether on the beach, a fence post, rooftop, or tree, please give him/her lots of space and let him rest quietly and undisturbed.

In the summer months, Snowies feed in the continuous daylight hours of the Arctic. Their main source of food is lemmings. In years when lemmings are super abundant, female Snowies will actually lay more eggs! Both the male and female hunt and bring food to the growing owlets. Feeding a hungry brood of baby owls is nonstop during the long days of the Arctic summer, and the owls also cache food.

What do Snowy Owls eat when wintering over in New England? I’ll share what we saw Hedwig eat because I am reading tons of misinformation posted online. We saw her eating rabbits, shrews, rats, mice, and yes, sea ducks. At day’s end, she would leave her hotel perch, sometimes heading over the golf course for a rabbit, or swooping down to the rocky shoreline for a shrew, or out to sea for a Common Eider or Bufflehead.

A cache of lemmings circling a Snowy Owl nest–and btw, aren’t they just the cutest!

A Snowy Owl irruption occurs when there is an abundance of lemmings, which leads to an abundance of Snowy Owl hatchlings (more lemmings equals fewer hungry owlets), which leads to more fledglings. Easier-to-catch food is available for the less experienced young hunters further south in the lower 48 states. The adults typically keep north, the first- and second-hatch-year owls often head south. This is another reason to keep a respectful distance, many of the owls are still developing and growing.

Our Hedwig appeared especially adept at catching rodents that were scurrying between the rocks at Bass Rocks. In summer, Arctic Lemmings shelter in shallow underground burrows, or under rocks, just as do Cape Ann members of the rodent family.

Interestingly, some Snowy Owls move further north for the winter. They spend these darkest and most frigid of months at sea, ice hunting for Arctic birds at open patches of water.

Please Do Not Distrub

DUELING SNOWY OWLS SOARING THROUGH THE DUNES

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On a recent hike looking for Redpolls and Snow Buntings, I encountered a pair of Snowy Owls intently battling over territory. Positioned low on a dune trail, half kneeling and partially hidden while photographing a Black-capped Chickadee, when a Snowy flew right in front of my path, twenty feet away. Rats! It all happened so quickly I didn’t capture even a moment. Suddenly out of nowhere a second Snowy appeared, hot on his trail. This one landed on the path I was traveling, not ten feet away. We both looked at each other in utter amazement but this time I had my movie camera turned on! He/she didn’t wait to see what I was doing and off he flew in the direction of the female Snowy. The two flew through the dunes, landing and taking off several times. I lost sight of the pair for a few moments when way, way out over the ocean the two were spied in an aerial duel.

I am going to try to post the close-up Snowy clip before Christmas. It’s been several weeks since that day and I have not seen either–hopefully they did not discourage one another from wintering over in the dunes and are still in the vicinity.

The sweet flock of Redpolls was found, but as with the owls, neither species has been since that beautiful day watching Snowies soar through the dunes. Will post the Redpoll photos later this week 🙂