Today was a beautiful blustery winter day in Piermont NY. You could feel the excitement in the air as the Henry Family set out to see the Snowy Owl that had taken up residence at the end of the Piermont Pier. As a rule the Snowy Owl is only seen in Canada or in the Arctic. Fortunately for us this owl had decided to fly south for the winter. This lone female snowy owl had been hunting ducks for the last few weeks in the icy waters of the Hudson River. As we began the mile long trek to the end of the pier in 20 degree weather I debated the sanity of my recreational choice for a February Sunday. As we approached the end of the pier I could not believe how many fellow bird enthusiasts had also braved the cold to see our northern visitor. One of the women there said that this bird was a Lifer. A bird that you see only once in a lifetime. The atmosphere was pregnant with anticipation. Everyone was waiting for the owl to move. He had been quietly perched on a pier for hours now. I was just about to call it a day when the bird took off. It flew about 20 yards only inches from the frozen river and snatched a duck right out of the water. The only sound you could hear was the clicks of cameras firing all around. We were lucky to have bee there at the right time. The kids were elated and I have to admit so were the adults. The fellow owl watchers were a knowledgeable and friendly group. Everyone was willing to share their telescopes and their knowledge. It was a great day for the Henry Family. One we will not soon forget.
If you would like to see better pictures or would like more information on the Piermont NY's resident snowy owl check out the links below:
http://www.rocklandaudubon.org/rockland_rare_bird_alert.htm
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070128/NEWS01/701280350/1025/NEWS09
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