{"id":28201,"date":"2013-12-20T17:39:48","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T17:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=28201"},"modified":"2013-12-20T17:39:48","modified_gmt":"2013-12-20T17:39:48","slug":"a-snowy-owl-in-bohemia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=28201","title":{"rendered":"A Snowy Owl in Bohemia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #008000;\"><strong>A SNOWY OWL IN BOHEMIA<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #008000;\">\u00a0&#8211; (That&#8217;s Bohemia, New York, by the way).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Diane Haberstroh writes from Bohemia, Long Island, New York. December 2013.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Diane loves long walks looking at birds, animals and trees. <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">She&#8217;s never seen a Snowy Owl and hears some have been seen not far from Bohemia, Long Island? <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Diane goes looking . . . and discovers that at nearby Kennedy Airport, these beautiful birds are being shot and killed!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_28204\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28204\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-28204  \" title=\"Snowy Owl, New York.\" alt=\"Snowy Owl, Long Island, New York, Dec 2013.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl-300x250.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl-300x250.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl-1024x853.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl-237x198.jpg 237w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl.jpg 1063w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-28204\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Snowy Owl, Long Island, New York, Dec 2013. Photo: Diane Haberstroh<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Diane writes:<\/p>\n<p>There\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0happening\u00a0on\u00a0this\u00a0side\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Atlantic\u00a0since\u00a0last\u00a0I\u00a0wrote,\u00a0some\u00a0of\u00a0which\u00a0being\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0shutdown,\u00a0Obamacare,<\/p>\n<p>and\u00a0a\u00a0train\u00a0wreck\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0literal\u00a0variety,\u00a0to\u00a0name\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0few.<\/p>\n<p>But\u00a0I\u00a0prefer\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0report\u00a0on\u00a0such\u00a0dismal\u00a0events.<\/p>\n<p>Instead\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0rather\u00a0tell\u00a0you\u00a0about\u00a0a\u00a0news\u00a0item\u00a0that\u00a0flew\u00a0into\u00a0our\u00a0world,\u00a0caused\u00a0some\u00a0controversy,\u00a0but\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0happy\u00a0ending.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #008000; text-decoration: underline;\">LONG ISLAND BEACHES<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">It\u00a0began\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0months\u00a0ago,\u00a0when\u00a0birders\u00a0first\u00a0reported\u00a0seeing\u00a0an\u00a0unusually\u00a0high\u00a0number\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0on\u00a0our\u00a0Long\u00a0Island\u00a0beaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Though\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0typical\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0on\u00a0our\u00a0local\u00a0beaches\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0winter,\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0believed\u00a0that\u00a0larger\u00a0than\u00a0usual\u00a0numbers<\/p>\n<p>of\u00a0the\u00a0owl\u00a0are\u00a0migrating\u00a0down\u00a0to\u00a0our\u00a0area\u00a0because\u00a0there\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0food\u00a0shortage\u00a0in\u00a0their\u00a0more\u00a0northern\u00a0winter\u00a0habitat.<\/p>\n<p>Of\u00a0course\u00a0more\u00a0owls\u00a0can\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0bad\u00a0thing\u00a0for\u00a0many\u00a0other\u00a0smaller\u00a0creatures,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0giving\u00a0us\u00a0more\u00a0of\u00a0an\u00a0opportunity\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0these\u00a0magnificent\u00a0birds.<\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"font-size: 13px;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #008000; text-decoration: underline;\">FIRE ISLAND<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Never\u00a0having\u00a0seen\u00a0one,\u00a0but\u00a0very\u00a0much\u00a0desiring\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0so,\u00a0I\u00a0cleaned\u00a0the\u00a0lenses\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0binoculars\u00a0and\u00a0set\u00a0my\u00a0sights<\/p>\n<p>on\u00a0adding\u00a0\u201csnowy\u00a0owl\u201d\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0birding\u00a0life\u00a0list.\u00a0I\u00a0began\u00a0my\u00a0quest\u00a0by\u00a0scouring\u00a0the\u00a0online\u00a0birding\u00a0sites\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0where\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0being\u00a0spotted.<\/p>\n<p>All\u00a0the\u00a0snowies\u00a0being\u00a0reported\u00a0were\u00a0seen\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0beaches\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Hamptons,\u00a0Fire\u00a0Island,\u00a0and\u00a0Jones\u00a0Beach.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0Long\u00a0Island\u00a0south\u00a0shore\u00a0beaches\u00a0with\u00a0their\u00a0treeless,\u00a0windy,\u00a0and\u00a0secluded\u00a0environment\u00a0probably\u00a0reminds\u00a0the\u00a0owls\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Tundra\u00a0from\u00a0which\u00a0they\u00a0originate.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0began\u00a0my\u00a0search\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0beach\u00a0closest\u00a0to\u00a0me,\u00a0which\u00a0is\u00a0Fire\u00a0Island.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_28203\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Robert-Moses.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28203\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-28203\" alt=\"Robert Moses State Park, New York, Dec 2013\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Robert-Moses-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Robert-Moses-300x237.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Robert-Moses-1024x810.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Robert-Moses-250x198.jpg 250w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Robert-Moses.jpg 1063w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-28203\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Robert Moses State Park, New York, Dec 2013<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It\u00a0was\u00a0an\u00a0early\u00a0Sunday\u00a0morning\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0walked\u00a0down\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0beach\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0parking\u00a0lot.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0met\u00a0a\u00a0fisherman\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0wearing\u00a0waders\u00a0and\u00a0carrying\u00a0a\u00a0bucket\u00a0and\u00a0reel\u00a0for\u00a0surf\u00a0casting.\u00a0In\u00a0a\u00a0brief\u00a0conversation\u00a0with\u00a0him,\u00a0I\u00a0mentioned\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0there\u00a0bcause\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah,\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0one\u00a0last\u00a0week,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0casually\u00a0mentioned.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0what\u00a0it\u00a0was.\u00a0Someone\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0snowy\u00a0owl.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u00a0indicated\u00a0where\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0seen\u00a0it,\u00a0pointing\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0concession\u00a0stand\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0now\u00a0closed\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0winter\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0area\u00a0around\u00a0it\u00a0desolate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0sitting\u00a0on\u00a0a\u00a0fence\u00a0over\u00a0there.\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0grateful\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0tip,\u00a0wished\u00a0him\u00a0luck,\u00a0and\u00a0hurried\u00a0off\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0section\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0pointed\u00a0to,<\/p>\n<p>but\u00a0after\u00a0walking\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0area\u00a0several\u00a0times\u00a0scanning\u00a0the\u00a0beach\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0binoculars\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0nothing.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0walked\u00a0to\u00a0another\u00a0area\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0crows\u00a0sounding\u00a0their\u00a0warning\u00a0caw.\u00a0Perhaps\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0seeing\u00a0the\u00a0owl,\u00a0I\u00a0thought.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0eventually\u00a0gave\u00a0up\u00a0and\u00a0searched\u00a0the\u00a0online\u00a0bird\u00a0bulletin\u00a0boards\u00a0looking\u00a0for\u00a0more\u00a0leads.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #008000;\"><strong>KENNEDY AIRPORT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0returned\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0Fire\u00a0Island\u00a0Beach\u00a0on\u00a0Monday\u00a0morning,\u00a0searching\u00a0again\u00a0before\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0to\u00a0work.<\/p>\n<p>While\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0making\u00a0my\u00a0way\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0car,\u00a0I\u00a0met\u00a0a\u00a0man\u00a0who\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0he\u00a0walks\u00a0there\u00a0every\u00a0morning.<\/p>\n<p>He\u00a0informed\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0not\u00a0seen\u00a0any\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls,\u00a0but\u00a0more\u00a0shockingly\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0read\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0<em>Daily\u00a0News<\/em>\u00a0the\u00a0day\u00a0before\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority<\/p>\n<p>is\u00a0shooting\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0by\u00a0Kennedy\u00a0airport,\u00a0because\u00a0they\u00a0claim\u00a0they\u00a0are\u00a0dangerous\u00a0to\u00a0planes.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0was\u00a0very\u00a0alarmed\u00a0by\u00a0this\u00a0news,\u00a0but\u00a0thought\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0probably\u00a0mistaking\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0for\u00a0Canada\u00a0geese\u00a0for\u00a0some\u00a0reason,\u00a0which\u00a0have\u00a0always\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0problem\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0airports.<\/p>\n<p>When\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0home\u00a0that\u00a0morning,\u00a0I\u00a0searched\u00a0the\u00a0internet\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0<em>Daily\u00a0News<\/em>\u00a0article\u00a0and\u00a0unfortunately,<\/p>\n<p>it\u00a0was\u00a0true\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0of\u00a0New\u00a0York\u00a0had\u00a0added\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0to\u00a0its\u00a0kill\u00a0list,\u00a0and\u00a0they\u00a0had\u00a0already\u00a0shot\u00a0three\u00a0of\u00a0them.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #008000; text-decoration: underline;\">MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In\u00a0order\u00a0to\u00a0protect\u00a0planes\u00a0during\u00a0takeoff\u00a0at\u00a0Kennedy\u00a0Airport,\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0controls\u00a0the\u00a0bird\u00a0population\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0airport.<\/p>\n<p>They\u00a0do\u00a0this\u00a0to\u00a0decrease\u00a0the\u00a0chances\u00a0of\u00a0bird\u00a0strikes,\u00a0which\u00a0could\u00a0damage\u00a0or\u00a0shut\u00a0down\u00a0a\u00a0plane\u00a0engine.<\/p>\n<p>This\u00a0happened\u00a0in\u00a02009\u00a0when\u00a0a\u00a0U\u00a0S\u00a0Airways\u00a0plane\u00a0during\u00a0take-off\u00a0was\u00a0struck\u00a0by\u00a0a\u00a0flock\u00a0of\u00a0six\u00a0Canada\u00a0Geese,<\/p>\n<p>causing\u00a0engine\u00a0failure\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0pilot\u00a0being\u00a0forced\u00a0to\u00a0land\u00a0the\u00a0plane\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0Hudson\u00a0River.<\/p>\n<p>It\u00a0was\u00a0later\u00a0known\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0Miracle\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0Hudson\u00a0because\u00a0all\u00a0155\u00a0passengers\u00a0and\u00a0crew\u00a0members\u00a0survived.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0birds\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0kill\u00a0list\u00a0are:\u00a0Canada\u00a0Geese,\u00a0mute\u00a0swans,\u00a0red-winged\u00a0blackbirds,\u00a0European\u00a0starlings,\u00a0crows,\u00a0pigeons\u00a0and\u00a0double-crested\u00a0cormorants.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0were\u00a0the\u00a0latest\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0added\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0list\u00a0when\u00a0one\u00a0sitting\u00a0on\u00a0a\u00a0runway\u00a0sign\u00a0(the\u00a0newspaper\u00a0article\u00a0reported\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0nesting\u00a0on\u00a0a\u00a0sign,<\/p>\n<p>but\u00a0this\u00a0was\u00a0probably\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0case)\u00a0was\u00a0sucked\u00a0into\u00a0an\u00a0engine.<\/p>\n<p>No\u00a0one\u00a0was\u00a0injured,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0sure,\u00a0since\u00a0nothing\u00a0was\u00a0reported\u00a0about\u00a0it,\u00a0if\u00a0the\u00a0plane\u00a0had\u00a0any\u00a0significant\u00a0damage,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0safely\u00a0assume\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0bird\u00a0was\u00a0killed.<\/p>\n<p>After\u00a0that,\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0added\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0to\u00a0their\u00a0kill\u00a0list\u00a0and\u00a0killed\u00a0three\u00a0of\u00a0them\u00a0in\u00a0one\u00a0day.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #008000; text-decoration: underline;\">HUMANE SOLUTION<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Birders\u00a0were\u00a0outraged\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0news.<\/p>\n<p>Many\u00a0asked\u00a0why\u00a0since\u00a0there\u00a0were\u00a0so\u00a0few\u00a0owls,\u00a0unlike\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0birds\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0kill\u00a0list\u00a0that\u00a0are\u00a0numerous,\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0trap\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls<\/p>\n<p>and\u00a0release\u00a0to\u00a0another\u00a0area.\u00a0Also,\u00a0Snowy\u00a0Owls\u00a0do\u00a0not\u00a0fly\u00a0in\u00a0flocks,\u00a0like\u00a0the\u00a0others\u00a0(although\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0double-crested\u00a0cormorants),\u00a0so\u00a0a\u00a0strike\u00a0would\u00a0probably\u00a0not\u00a0be\u00a0as\u00a0dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>Bird\u00a0Strikes\u00a0are\u00a0also\u00a0a\u00a0problem\u00a0for\u00a0many\u00a0other\u00a0airports\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0Logan\u00a0Airport\u00a0in\u00a0Boston.<\/p>\n<p>However,\u00a0their\u00a0policy\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0to\u00a0trap\u00a0the\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0and\u00a0release\u00a0them\u00a0elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>Many\u00a0New\u00a0Yorkers\u00a0questioned\u00a0why\u00a0if\u00a0Boston\u00a0could\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0humane\u00a0solution\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0problem,\u00a0why\u00a0New\u00a0York\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0one\u00a0too?<\/p>\n<p>Online\u00a0petitions\u00a0were\u00a0signed\u00a0by\u00a0thousands\u00a0of\u00a0New\u00a0Yorkers\u00a0demanding\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0change\u00a0their\u00a0policy.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0next\u00a0day\u00a0after\u00a0the\u00a0New\u00a0York\u00a0newspapers\u00a0ran\u00a0the\u00a0snowy\u00a0owl\u00a0story,\u00a0the\u00a0Port\u00a0Authority\u00a0released\u00a0a\u00a0statement\u00a0saying\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0changed\u00a0their\u00a0policy.<\/p>\n<p>They\u00a0would\u00a0now\u00a0work\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Department\u00a0of\u00a0Environmental\u00a0Conservation\u00a0in\u00a0trapping\u00a0and\u00a0relocating\u00a0any\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls\u00a0discovered\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0airport\u00a0vicinity.<\/p>\n<p>This\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0great\u00a0victory\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0owls\u00a0and\u00a0those\u00a0who\u00a0appreciate\u00a0them.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #008000;\"><strong>VICTORY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_28202\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Diane-Haberstroh-Dec-2013..jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28202\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-28202\" alt=\"Diane Haberstroh at Fire Island Beach, Long Island, New York, Dec 2013.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Diane-Haberstroh-Dec-2013.-300x200.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Diane-Haberstroh-Dec-2013.-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Diane-Haberstroh-Dec-2013.-1024x684.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Diane-Haberstroh-Dec-2013.-280x187.jpg 280w, http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Diane-Haberstroh-Dec-2013..jpg 1063w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-28202\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diane Haberstroh at Fire Island Beach, Long Island, New York, Dec 2013.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As\u00a0for\u00a0me,\u00a0I\u00a0also\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0victory\u00a0of\u00a0sorts.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0went\u00a0back\u00a0later\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0week\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0Fire\u00a0Island\u00a0Beach,\u00a0where\u00a0I\u00a0first\u00a0looked\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0snowy\u00a0owls.<\/p>\n<p>This\u00a0time\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0only\u00a0walking\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0minutes\u00a0when\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0distance\u00a0I\u00a0spotted\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0snowy\u00a0owl.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0tried\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0too\u00a0excited,\u00a0thinking\u00a0I\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0seeing\u00a0just\u00a0an\u00a0odd\u00a0seagull,<\/p>\n<p>but\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0through\u00a0my\u00a0camera\u00a0viewfinder\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0indeed\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0seeing\u00a0a\u00a0female\u00a0snowy.<\/p>\n<p>It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0magnificent\u00a0creature\u00a0just\u00a0quietly\u00a0sitting\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0sand.\u00a0It\u00a0turned\u00a0its\u00a0head\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0towards\u00a0me,<\/p>\n<p>and\u00a0then\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0see\u00a0her\u00a0intense\u00a0yellow\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Although\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0probably\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a050\u00a0feet\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0her,\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0not\u00a0like\u00a0my\u00a0presence\u00a0and\u00a0flew\u00a0away.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0was\u00a0happy\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0stunned\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0finally\u00a0seen\u00a0a\u00a0snowy\u00a0owl,\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0now\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0add\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0birding\u00a0life\u00a0list.<\/p>\n<p>My\u00a0quest\u00a0was\u00a0over,\u00a0and\u00a0furthermore,\u00a0the\u00a0owls\u00a0were\u00a0assured\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0safe\u00a0haven\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0winter.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #008000;\"><strong>DAILY NEWS ARTICLE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s\u00a0a\u00a0link\u00a0to\u00a0an\u00a0article\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0owl\u00a0controversy,\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0care\u00a0to\u00a0read\u00a0it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/m.nydailynews.com\/1.1541823#bmb=1\">http:\/\/m.nydailynews.com\/1.1541823#bmb=1<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A SNOWY OWL IN BOHEMIA\u00a0&#8211; (That&#8217;s Bohemia, New York, by the way).\u00a0 Diane Haberstroh writes from Bohemia, Long Island, New York. December 2013. Diane loves long walks looking at birds, animals and trees. She&#8217;s never seen a Snowy Owl and&#8230; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=28201\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":28204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[230,135,163],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Snowy-Owl.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28201"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28201"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28216,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28201\/revisions\/28216"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}