Snowy Owl Adventure!

A Snowy Owl in southwest Ohio!!! Woohoo!!!

Dave Russell (yes, he's on his cell phone!), Janelle Duncan, Deb & Jim Chagares and Rafael Herrera looking at the Snowy Owl!

You know the times when you realize just how much time your birder spends "thinking" about birding? Like today, Dave calls on his way home from basketball to say that the Snow Owl that's been hanging around New Paris, Preble County, IN has been sighted again this morning. So, we excitedly got dress so that we can go see it too. Last weekend, when the bird was first reported, we had a houseful of company and couldn't get out. We pile into the Excursion and off we head north. Dave starts telling us how he's been on the phone with everyone this week talking about going out looking for the bird and he's been thinking about it all night. Just felt like the weather was right for it to hang around for a while. Well , son-of-a-gun, he was right!

This photo was taken through Dave's Kowa scope with a Canon Powershot. Jim Chagares is a professional wildlife photographer and has absolutely breathtaking photos of the owl on his website: http://www.chagaresphotography.com/SnowyOwl/. I snuck a photo of Deb & Jim and if you zoom in on the white spot in the field just to the right of the end of Jim's camera you will see the Snowy Owl!

If you can get out, the bird has been seen on the south side of US 40, east of the Interstate 70 interchange in Richmond, Indiana. Take 40 East about 2 - 3 miles to New Paris, Preble County, Ohio (very near National Trails Highschool) and the owl has been seen hanging out in the fields to the south.