Good winter for Snowy and Great Gray Owls

Some positive news.  They’re waiting until (I assume mid to late) December to see what the scale of the movement will be this season.  It will be much better than last winter

Project SnowStorm update


They are speculating that the current influx of snowy owls may be from northern Quebec, particularly the Ungava Peninsula the same breeding area that contributed to the large scale movement of snowy owls a number of winters ago.

Hey, I was telling everyone that it was only a matter of time, once we have snow cover on the ground and finally 3 snowy owls shows up in the Stittsville / Kanata area.  The usual area where snowy owls show up west of Ottawa.  

People were speculating why snowy owls were not showing up there before we had snow cover.  It's simple; snowy owls like camouflage so they can blend in. When you're sitting in a field with no snow, a snowy owl will get easily noticed by other birds such as crows.  Before the snow, these owls were roosting in trees or blending into buildings, etc.  Some were found on rooftops hiding next to things for camouflage.  .  

I have a good feeling the male owl pictured below is here for the whole winter.  There are 4 snowy owls at same location.  I found a new one on Tuesday and someone else confirmed it on Wednesday Dec. 18.

Wonderful image of a male snowy. Im still hoping the numbers pick up here. Only one before today - sitting by a small mound of snow in an otherwise dry plowed field. However, finally got significant snow last night into today so hoping that will help.
The Short-eareds have been here in higher numbers than the last few years - the snow should help them stay.

wdg wrote: Wonderful image of a male snowy. Im still hoping the numbers pick up here. Only one before today - sitting by a small mound of snow in an otherwise dry plowed field. However, finally got significant snow last night into today so hoping that will help.
The Short-eareds have been here in higher numbers than the last few years - the snow should help them stay.

Thanks. Everyone was asking me in mid-November, where are the snowy owls?  There was no snow on the ground.  They were showing up in odd places and some were roosting in trees.  This is a species that likes snow for camouflage.  I told everyone, just wait until we have snow cover and give it a week or two.  We finally had snow cover in early December and within a week or so, they started to show up. We have at least 4 at the same location and someone thought they had seen 5 snowy owls in the area.  What I call a typical good year for that area which we had enjoyed for many consecutive winters until last winter where only one snowy owl showed up there.     

Interestng note about the short-eared owls.  Photographed today at night but adjusted in Photoshop.  Canon R6 MK2.  I tend to hold onto my cameras for around 8 years and then upgrade.  My almost 2-year old R6 MK2 was definitely worth it.  I don't need to repeat what everyone already knows by now but hey, low-light is much better than the 6D MK1, battery lasts a long time, light-weight and eye-AF tracking (the game changer).  

Project SNOWstorm did expect an irruption of snowy owls for this winter but they wanted to wait until December to know for sure.  I think they're onto something as I counted at least 6 snowy owls in the usual area in the west end of Ottawa (Stittsville) and I can see on eBird the east end (Orleans) also have their share of snowy owls.

While winter 2024-2025 is the 4th year in the cycle for great gray owl irruptions, it seems to be more concentrated along the northwestern shore of Lake Superior, westward and southward from there.  This can be easily seen on the eBird Species Map. 

Great Gray Owls tend to show up in the Ottawa region sometime in mid-January.  Well, someone found one today and although no good photos were taken by me, it was still exciting to see.  However, I did manage some documentary shots and this owl is on the skittish side.  Large, so assume female. 

UPDATE:  Jan 13.  Someone apparently found a second great gray owl at the same location.  Someone from this morning confirmed 2 owls.  Based on size, male and female.  Female or larger owl is skittish.  Barred owl hunting there this morning as well.  Looks like the every 4 years great gray owl irruption cycle is accurate for this winter 2024-2025.

While 2 days does not a pattern make, mornings seem to be the best time to see the great gray owls at the location. 

I did not find the bird, so can't say anything about location for now.  I'm sure in time word will get out to many.  Folks from NewYork were up here but they may be into birding, not sure.  I only saw the female (it's a skittish bird) but others saw a second smaller great gray owl on Monday morning, so assumed it to be a male. 

Winter 24/25 may be an irruption winter for this species, a certainty further west but think we'll get some in the Ottawa area too.  Not as good as further west.  24/25 falls right on the 'every 4 years cycle'.  Haven't had time to explore the other known spots for great gray yet.  I work full time and with light fading after 5pm, not much time to check. 

Non-stop owl opportuities in 2024 and now into 2025.  2 red morph screech owls raised a family of 6 owlets. Barred owl family.  An extremely tame male barred owl close to home.  I shouldn't say this but you can literally stand a foot or two away from it, face to face and it doesn't blink. Talk about a one on one nature moment.  And this barred owl is still around. Add to all this we have around 6 to 7 snowy owls at the famous location although they're not as easy to find now as in December.

If you head east toward the Quebec City area, they have northern hawk owl (more than one but one is very reliable although you hear complaints it can be far away or closer depending). One great gray apparently showed up near Montreal recently.

I need to get me the Canon 200-800 as the 100-400 (version 1 from 2004) on R6 MK2 doesn't cut it for an owl that was a couple of football fields away in the distance.  It was an extremely heavy crop.  I will have to drag out the heavier 500 f4 II for this bird.

Better photo op this morning.

Incredible photo!

bluebird7 wrote: Incredible photo!

Thanks.  I think in time word will spread and cars will be parked along that stretch of road for as far as the eyes can see.

I was able to confirm a second smaller great gray owl at the same location.  See photo above.  Noticeably smaller in size and less skittish than the large female photographed in the morning.  Taken tonight.  

Canon R6 MK2.  ISO 40,000.  1/30s.  Canon 100-400L IS (version 1 from 2004).  Handheld.  

I don't have any information to go off of, but if I'm using my intuition correctly, I have a pretty good idea where it should be. I'll be out there searching tomorrow and the next following days. Hopefully I'll find them before the crowds do.

bluebird7 wrote: I don't have any information to go off of, but if I'm using my intuition correctly, I have a pretty good idea where it should be. I'll be out there searching tomorrow and the next following days. Hopefully I'll find them before the crowds do.

Your intuition will probably find you the bird.  I certainly gave enough clues.  I post to Ottawa eBird.  Word is already spreading.  Wait until the weekend.  Zoo time

I can go ahead and declare winter 2024/2025 a Great Gray Owl irruption winter.    

And it is right on target for the every 4-Year Cycle (and occasionally 5). 

We have them in the Ottawa area at several locations.  Well, at least 7 spots and likely a lot more.  And I haven't even begun to search for them in the usual spots.  

It is easier to find locations of sensitive species on eBird.  Look for a 0 next Species.  That’s because the eBird report will still show up in Recent sightings but due to the sensitive nature of the species (the kind you see as a large rectangle on the eBird Species Map) the regional eBird moderators will zero out the species but still allow the report to be published.  You still need to narrow it down to the eBird region to access Recent Sightings.  Oops, I’m in Ottawa.