https://photos.app.goo.gl/m4YQK88mtWdQPZft8

Greetings from Spain, As you have been discussing the recent sightings of snowy owls in CT I want to share some info with you, and ask your expert opinion.. In the last 10 days we have had 3 snowy owls in the north coast of Spain. The first one was recovered in Santander (where I live) on Nov 6th, a young male in very poor condition, that was taken to a rescue center but died next day. A female was located the 10th, and another male the 13th. Those two are apparently in good condition and flying around Cabo Peñas in Asturias. No rings or leashes that could point to an escape. As the european population is scarce, and there are no reported sightings between Norway and northen Spain, the idea is that they arrived from Canada. Are you aware of any bird movement, any storm, anything that could confirm this origin or explain the journey? Just as a curiosity, as we are more than happy to just watch these amazing visitors from the other side of the pond.. Félix J. SangariSantander (Spain) PD: We are not used to watch snowies, and people from all over Spain and France are going there to see them, but everybody is behaving extremely well, and no one was closer than 100 yards the first days. Let's see if this respect continues..

That's interesting indeed!  There are reports of Snowy Owls that arrived in western Europe by ship from northeastern North America (see https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108742_Sneeuwuilen_uit_Canada_en_Groenland_per_schip_naar_Noordwest-Europa, has English abstract).  As you say, they are scarcer there, I saw none during my time in Sweden.  It also fits to the behavior of Snowy Owls, which tend to look for tundra-like open spaces and end up on northeastern beaches.  That "beach" that some owl ended up on might just as well be part of a ship and that's how they end up in Europe. Severin On 11/17/21 10:01, Felix Sangari via CTBirds wrote: > Greetings from Spain, > As you have been discussing the recent sightings of snowy owls in CT I want to share some info with you, and ask your expert opinion.. In the last 10 days we have had 3 snowy owls in the north coast of Spain. The first one was recovered in Santander (where I live) on Nov 6th, a young male in very poor condition, that was taken to a rescue center but died next day. A female was located the 10th, and another male the 13th. Those two are apparently in good condition and flying around Cabo Peñas in Asturias. No rings or leashes that could point to an escape. As the european population is scarce, and there are no reported sightings between Norway and northen Spain, the idea is that they arrived from Canada. Are you aware of any bird movement, any storm, anything that could confirm this origin or explain the journey? Just as a curiosity, as we are more than happy to just watch these amazing visitors from the other side of the pond.. > Félix J. SangariSantander (Spain) > PD: We are not used to watch snowies, and people from all over Spain and France are going there to see them, but everybody is behaving extremely well, and no one was closer than 100 yards the first days. Let's see if this respect continues.. > > > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

How amazing! I think it’s supposed to be an irruption year for snowies. I’m not certain. Asturias is an incredible area. I was in Picos de Europa a few years ago (and spots between there & San Sebastián). While I was not there to view wildlife, I did notice incredible landscape that seemed good habitat for many kinds of birds of prey (Asturias). It’s pretty incredible how adventurous these young (assuming) snowy owls are. Perhaps weather patterns shifted them towards Espana. It would be interesting to know where else they’re being seen. Ellynne Rey (Stamford) On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, Felix Sangari via CTBirds < ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > Greetings from Spain, > As you have been discussing the recent sightings of snowy owls in CT I > want to share some info with you, and ask your expert opinion.. In the last > 10 days we have had 3 snowy owls in the north coast of Spain. The first one > was recovered in Santander (where I live) on Nov 6th, a young male in very > poor condition, that was taken to a rescue center but died next day. A > female was located the 10th, and another male the 13th. Those two are > apparently in good condition and flying around Cabo Peñas in Asturias. No > rings or leashes that could point to an escape. As the european population > is scarce, and there are no reported sightings between Norway and northen > Spain, the idea is that they arrived from Canada. Are you aware of any bird > movement, any storm, anything that could confirm this origin or explain the > journey? Just as a curiosity, as we are more than happy to just watch these > amazing visitors from the other side of the pond.. > Félix J. SangariSantander (Spain) > PD: We are not used to watch snowies, and people from all over Spain and > France are going there to see them, but everybody is behaving extremely > well, and no one was closer than 100 yards the first days. Let's see if > this respect continues.. > > > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/ > join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/ > birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

I'm reading a book every birder should read - *A World on the Wing *by Scott Weidensaul. Lots of nerdish details but well written, all about bird migration and how it is tracked today. There's quite a bit on Snowy Owls. Seems there are much less of them than previously thought as they migrate to different places. And - contrary to popular belief, they are not starving and stressed but mostly immature individuals relatively unafraid of people, airplanes, etc. as they don't encounter them in the Arctic. And - healthy rufous hummingbirds have been seen in Pennsylvania in January in 10-degree F. temperatures. On Wed, Nov 17, 2021 at 10:38 AM Severin Uebbing <severinuebbing@gmail.com> wrote: > That's interesting indeed! There are reports of Snowy Owls that arrived > in western Europe by ship from northeastern North America (see > > https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108742_Sneeuwuilen_uit_Canada_en_Groenland_per_schip_naar_Noordwest-Europa, > > has English abstract). As you say, they are scarcer there, I saw none > during my time in Sweden. It also fits to the behavior of Snowy Owls, > which tend to look for tundra-like open spaces and end up on > northeastern beaches. That "beach" that some owl ended up on might just > as well be part of a ship and that's how they end up in Europe. > > Severin > > On 11/17/21 10:01, Felix Sangari via CTBirds wrote: > > Greetings from Spain, > > As you have been discussing the recent sightings of snowy owls in CT I > want to share some info with you, and ask your expert opinion.. In the last > 10 days we have had 3 snowy owls in the north coast of Spain. The first one > was recovered in Santander (where I live) on Nov 6th, a young male in very > poor condition, that was taken to a rescue center but died next day. A > female was located the 10th, and another male the 13th. Those two are > apparently in good condition and flying around Cabo Peñas in Asturias. No > rings or leashes that could point to an escape. As the european population > is scarce, and there are no reported sightings between Norway and northen > Spain, the idea is that they arrived from Canada. Are you aware of any bird > movement, any storm, anything that could confirm this origin or explain the > journey? Just as a curiosity, as we are more than happy to just watch these > amazing visitors from the other side of the pond.. > > Félix J. SangariSantander (Spain) > > PD: We are not used to watch snowies, and people from all over Spain and > France are going there to see them, but everybody is behaving extremely > well, and no one was closer than 100 yards the first days. Let's see if > this respect continues.. > > > > > > > > > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

That’s great information Paul and thank you for the post. The amount of variables in nature are huge. Glen Cummings -----Original Message----- From: Paul Plotnick <pdplot2@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2021 10:51 AM To: Severin Uebbing <severinuebbing@gmail.com> Cc: CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Subject: [CT Birds] Re: Snowy owls: Is this an irruption year? (Slightly off-topic) I'm reading a book every birder should read - *A World on the Wing *by Scott Weidensaul. Lots of nerdish details but well written, all about bird migration and how it is tracked today. There's quite a bit on Snowy Owls. Seems there are much less of them than previously thought as they migrate to different places. And - contrary to popular belief, they are not starving and stressed but mostly immature individuals relatively unafraid of people, airplanes, etc. as they don't encounter them in the Arctic. And - healthy rufous hummingbirds have been seen in Pennsylvania in January in 10-degree F. temperatures. On Wed, Nov 17, 2021 at 10:38 AM Severin Uebbing < <mailto:severinuebbing@gmail.com> severinuebbing@gmail.com> wrote: > That's interesting indeed! There are reports of Snowy Owls that > arrived in western Europe by ship from northeastern North America (see > > <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108742_Sneeuwuilen_uit_Can> https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108742_Sneeuwuilen_uit_Can > ada_en_Groenland_per_schip_naar_Noordwest-Europa, > > has English abstract). As you say, they are scarcer there, I saw none > during my time in Sweden. It also fits to the behavior of Snowy Owls, > which tend to look for tundra-like open spaces and end up on > northeastern beaches. That "beach" that some owl ended up on might > just as well be part of a ship and that's how they end up in Europe. > > Severin > > On 11/17/21 10:01, Felix Sangari via CTBirds wrote: > > Greetings from Spain, > > As you have been discussing the recent sightings of snowy owls in CT > > I > want to share some info with you, and ask your expert opinion.. In the > last > 10 days we have had 3 snowy owls in the north coast of Spain. The > first one was recovered in Santander (where I live) on Nov 6th, a > young male in very poor condition, that was taken to a rescue center > but died next day. A female was located the 10th, and another male the > 13th. Those two are apparently in good condition and flying around > Cabo Peñas in Asturias. No rings or leashes that could point to an > escape. As the european population is scarce, and there are no > reported sightings between Norway and northen Spain, the idea is that > they arrived from Canada. Are you aware of any bird movement, any > storm, anything that could confirm this origin or explain the journey? > Just as a curiosity, as we are more than happy to just watch these amazing visitors from the other side of the pond.. > > Félix J. SangariSantander (Spain) > > PD: We are not used to watch snowies, and people from all over Spain > > and > France are going there to see them, but everybody is behaving > extremely well, and no one was closer than 100 yards the first days. > Let's see if this respect continues.. > > > > > > > > > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - > > Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > <https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > > For > list rules and subscription information visit: > <https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - > Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: > <https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > <https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: <https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: <https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

Greetings, Felix! It was great to hear from you. Your info about Snowy Owls in Spain is very interesting, and thanks Severin for sharing the paper documenting ship-riding Snowy Owls from Canada in the past. Interesting stuff! Best regards, Frank Mantlik Stratford, CT Sent from my iPhone > On Nov 17, 2021, at 11:11 AM, GMC2@comcast.net wrote: > > That’s great information Paul and thank you for the post. The amount of variables in nature are huge. > > > > Glen Cummings > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Paul Plotnick <pdplot2@gmail.com> > Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2021 10:51 AM > To: Severin Uebbing <severinuebbing@gmail.com> > Cc: CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> > Subject: [CT Birds] Re: Snowy owls: Is this an irruption year? (Slightly off-topic) > > > > I'm reading a book every birder should read - *A World on the Wing *by Scott Weidensaul. Lots of nerdish details but well written, all about bird migration and how it is tracked today. There's quite a bit on Snowy Owls. > > Seems there are much less of them than previously thought as they migrate to different places. And - contrary to popular belief, they are not starving and stressed but mostly immature individuals relatively unafraid of people, airplanes, etc. as they don't encounter them in the Arctic. And > > - healthy rufous hummingbirds have been seen in Pennsylvania in January in 10-degree F. temperatures. > > > >> On Wed, Nov 17, 2021 at 10:38 AM Severin Uebbing < <mailto:severinuebbing@gmail.com> severinuebbing@gmail.com> >> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> That's interesting indeed! There are reports of Snowy Owls that > >> arrived in western Europe by ship from northeastern North America (see > >> > >> <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108742_Sneeuwuilen_uit_Can> https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108742_Sneeuwuilen_uit_Can > >> ada_en_Groenland_per_schip_naar_Noordwest-Europa, > >> > >> has English abstract). As you say, they are scarcer there, I saw none > >> during my time in Sweden. It also fits to the behavior of Snowy Owls, > >> which tend to look for tundra-like open spaces and end up on > >> northeastern beaches. That "beach" that some owl ended up on might > >> just as well be part of a ship and that's how they end up in Europe. > >> > >> Severin > >> > >> On 11/17/21 10:01, Felix Sangari via CTBirds wrote: > >>> Greetings from Spain, > >>> As you have been discussing the recent sightings of snowy owls in CT > >>> I > >> want to share some info with you, and ask your expert opinion.. In the > >> last > >> 10 days we have had 3 snowy owls in the north coast of Spain. The > >> first one was recovered in Santander (where I live) on Nov 6th, a > >> young male in very poor condition, that was taken to a rescue center > >> but died next day. A female was located the 10th, and another male the > >> 13th. Those two are apparently in good condition and flying around > >> Cabo Peñas in Asturias. No rings or leashes that could point to an > >> escape. As the european population is scarce, and there are no > >> reported sightings between Norway and northen Spain, the idea is that > >> they arrived from Canada. Are you aware of any bird movement, any > >> storm, anything that could confirm this origin or explain the journey? > >> Just as a curiosity, as we are more than happy to just watch these amazing visitors from the other side of the pond.. > >>> Félix J. SangariSantander (Spain) > >>> PD: We are not used to watch snowies, and people from all over Spain > >>> and > >> France are going there to see them, but everybody is behaving > >> extremely well, and no one was closer than 100 yards the first days. > >> Let's see if this respect continues.. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - > >>> Bringing > >> birders together statewide. Please support COA: > >> <https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > >>> CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > >>> For > >> list rules and subscription information visit: > >> <https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > >> > >> CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - > >> Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: > >> <https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > >> CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > >> list rules and subscription information visit: > >> <https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: <https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: <https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/