Snowy owls visiting Cape Cod this winter

 

collage I had made at CVS pharmacy of a few of the owl photos I took on Saturday.

Saturday morning I went down to the Cape for the long holiday weekend and stayed at my cousins. I wanted to see if I could see the 3 juvenile snowy owls that had spotted at the West Dennis Beach. I almost didn't go on Saturday as it was raining hard. I decided to go because I really wanted to see the owls and I decided to chance it. The weather was horrid...frigid temperatures, high winds with downpouring rain. My clothes got soaked and I was totally frozen, but it didn't matter as I got to see the owls and take some pictures. 

Saturday the sky was so dark because of the rain. Sunday, when we went to the beach we

 spotted 2 owls near each other on a hummock in the dunes, but they were quite some distance from the parking area, and it was just too cold and windy to take the long walk up the sandy beach path to get a better look. What weather the birds endure with the strong wind coming off of the ocean and the cold and driving rain. 

I went to the beach again this morning (Monday)  before heading home...I had to face into the sun to get photos of the lone little owl sitting on a sand dune. I was told that 3 snowy's have been sighted at the West Dennis Beach. 

I don't know if itis from lack of food or there was just an abundance of owls that so many juvenile snowy owls migrated down from Canada to many of the beaches on Cape Cod this winter. It is very unusual to have so many snowys being spotted in Massachusetts.  

The owls are a big attraction at the beach and I couldn't believe how many people came to get a look at these beautiful birds that are so rare to our area. Even though I got soaking wet and was freezing, I am very glad that braved the bad weather, as I got to see the birds. 

The birds didn't seem fazed by all the people that came to see them and stayed right on the dunes hunkered down with it's eyes closed and only every now and then would open a eye to see what was going on or move it's head to take a good look. On good days the owls have been spotted sitting on life guard chairs, roof tops of the bath houses, sitting on life guard chairs and even in flight. I plan on going down again to look again, maybe next week. The birds have been around since the end of December.

you can see the water in the background

head turned looking over it's back

looking over it's shoulder

the wind was blowing so hard it was hard to hold my little camera still, just as the owl looked forward a wind gust made my hand move so I didn't get all of the owl in this photo..bummer!

Over the weekend while on the Cape I went to several thrift stores. I found only a few  things...vintage cookie cutters and a couple 10 inch aluminum pie plates. I also went to the Cook's store in Hyannis and bought a good candy thermometer. Another stop was the Birds Unlimited store..I bought a heater for a bird bath as more frigid weather is coming along with another snow storm.

Driving down the road at the beach on the bay side, I took a couple photos of men in the water shell fishing, probably for clams or oysters, because it wasn't low tide to dig for quahogs. The wind was howling, and it was very cold. 

On the bay side and also the ocean side there were many people in the water kite boarding. Brrr! Even with a wet suit...too cold for me to be in the water.

Late Saturday afternoon coming back from the cold beach after seeing the owl it was raining in Dennis. By the time we got to Yarmouth the sun came out and we spotted a rainbow. I took this photo through the windshield of the car.

By the time we were able to cross traffic and find a place to park near the cranberry bog the rainbow was fading.

Swans and ducks were swimming in the flooded cranberry bog where we saw the rainbow. Of course, I had to face into the sun taking the swan photos. You can see from the ripples on the flooded cranberry bog that there was a strong wind blowing. Why is it that so often when you want to take photos the lighting is never right?

 

 I hope you enjoyed my owl photos. I really need a better camera, but my little Cannon has a pretty good zoom or I wouldn't have been able to take the photos that I did. I should have set up my tripod so the wind didn't make the camera shake as I held it.

Elaine

P.S...today Tom and I celebrate our 46th. wedding anniversary. How time flies.