No Owl, No Owl

No Owl, No Owl

We didn't see a Snowy Owl

(To the tune of The First Noel)

Most Christmases find us in some far off local, more often than not looking for birds. This year we stayed home, yet still headed out to find a bird. Specifically, we went looking for a Snowy Owl.

We didn't not find one. Very sad.

🦉  🦉  🦉  🦉  🦉

We woke up at 5:15 am, because ... yeah I don't know why. We even got our friend Lori to wake up as early to join us in this wild owl chase. We then headed to Island Beach State Park where three (!) Snowy Owls had been seen just the day before.

Where did they go?

We got there and found a fellow crazy person and as we got out of the car we asked if he was looking for the owl. "Yes", he said curtly and walked off. Merry Christmas to you too. We did meet other more friendly folks and worked together to search for the owl. No luck as we hopscotched down the beach. Finally, a truck drove up and told us the owl was all the way at the end of the island, between the dunes and Barnegat Inlet.

A long walk in the sand.

The owl was not there. It may have been. It may not have been. We wondered if the guy in the truck was untrustworthy. We'll never know.

Regardless, no Christmas owl for me. But I guess I should have known.

🦆  🦆  🦆  🦆  🦆

So we had to console ourselves with sea ducks.

Surf (above) and White-winged (below) Scoters.

And Long-tailed Ducks.

Bobbing in the surf. Somewhat slim pickings.

Further out were mirages of ships below the horizon.

Which were of interest only to me, not being birds you see.

🎄  🎄  🎄  🎄  🎄

Sometimes you walk and the bird is in the scope. Other times, you dip.

But there are worse ways to spend a morning. Outdoors, at the beach in the sunshine, with friends.

It was a fine Christmas morning.