Snowy Defence

I can’t resist sharing a few sequences of a Snowy Owl I photographed en route to our Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas workshop at Oak Hammock Marsh on Sunday.

This first series of three photos shows a defensive reaction to a passing Peregrine Falcon… while on the ground the Snowy Owl puffs up and first lowers their body then straightens up and raises the wings to make themselves look at big as possible to the passing falcon

This second series of 8 photos shows how the Snowy Owl takes off from the ground (crouching down and then launching forward and upward) and then flies low over the barren ground…

And finally a portrait of the beautiful Snowy Owl perched on a rock and a second glimpse at a slight defensive posture as the Peregrine one again passes high overhead…

Such a magnificent animal to watch – what a privilege!