Snowy Owl in McLean County

Today I stopped by Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds in Gridley, IL to check the waterfowl. Aside from a good sized flock of starlings mixed with a few cowbirds, there were six or seven Northern Shovelers, a female Green-winged Teal, and a female American Wigeon. This male Northern Shoveler was trying to sleep when I approached. Once he lifted his head and saw me, he started swimming away, followed by the female.









It was difficult to identify this female American Wigeon because it would not allow me to get very close.



Later in the afternoon, I had taken one of my teen aged clients birding during his session ("bird therapy"). On the way back from our short adventure, I saw something large on top of a telephone pole. My first thought was, "that's a Snowy Owl," but there was so much dark streaking on the bird, it almost seemed like a hawk in the light. I turned the car around and parked off the road across the street from the bird. It was indeed a Snowy Owl in McLean County, IL. My client and I were able to look at and photograph the bird for several minutes before I had to leave in order to get him back.





That golden eye is just amazing!









On the way back to the ranch, I contacted everyone I could think of who would be interested in seeing this bird including my wife Carrie. Since I was finished at work, after I dropped my client off and gathered my things, I headed back to see the bird again and to wait to see who else would show up to see this beauty. When I got back on the scene, the owl was still present on the same perch. The light was fading, but I took some shots of the bird preening including pictures of it biting at its legs.









The first person to show up was Matt Fraker. Not too long after that, Carrie arrived with our good friend Les Allen, who needed the bird for his McLean County Big Year. This bird was county bird #227 for Les. A little later Dave Weth showed up with his wife and daughter, and Don Hartzler arrived with his family as well. The bird was very vivid and amazing to gaze upon through the scopes that Matt and Don brought even in fading light. The owner of the house beside the telephone pole came out with his kids to see the bird, which he said had been sitting there since at least 8:00 a.m. that morning.