After the past few weeks of being sick, missing school & work, a snow storm and cabin fever I decided the family needed to get out of dodge before all hell broke loose. "Grab the passports " I shouted, "We're heading to B.C. to see the Snowy Owls."
I'd been following the local birder blogs and heard there were 30-40 Snowy Owls wintering just north of us by about 30 km. I was desperate to go and see this beautiful owl in all it's wintry plumage. So off we went....
I don't really know exactly when my Snowy obsession began. Perhaps it was after I read my third or forth Harry Potter book, or maybe, simply, because owls have always held a special place in my imagination.
Upon arriving I was pleased to see that there were very few people crazy enough to brave the high winds and blustery weather. The previous weekend birders "flocked" by the hundreds to see the owls. Armed with telephoto lenses they lined up along the dike leaving very little opportunity to enjoy the serenity of such an amazing event.
We were able to spot seven total. Six males and one female. Most were as close as fifteen feet from where we were standing. I can't imagine passing up this chance to see the Snowy. I am not usually a bucket list kind of person. However, in lue of recent events I felt this was a worthy addition to my rough list of Must-Do's.
Just as I was settling into full birder mode Rylan's initial interest in the Snowy was quickly beginning to wane. After he noticed the Warning: Electricity! sign, which appropriately had a drawing of a lightning bolt going through a stick figures chest, the Snowy was all but a distant memory. I find such humor in raising a child. Daily I am constantly reminded of how important it is to savor each and every fleeting moment!!
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