Snowy Owls Flocking to Lakefront

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 14, 2011 4:40PM

Spotting snowy owls along the lakefront isn't rare. But the bird is showing up in larger-than-normal numbers due in part to a breeding frenzy that's sending them farther south in search of food.

And the species is finding a smorgasbord of other fowl and even rats to eat. Snowy Owls have spread out along the northern part of the nation, from Illinois to Washington state, and one was even spotted in Hawaii. Locally, up to eight snowy owls were spotted in Green Bay, WI and six were spotted on Lake Michigan's eastern shore. Evanston birder Matthew Cvetas said in previous years only a couple of the species were spotted in the area.

The first spotted owl was spotted along Montrose Harbor Nov. 19 and was tracked by bird watchers by scope to the Fullerton revetment. A second owl later landed at Montrose Harbor and made itself at home to the delight of birders.

The Sun-Times has a nice gallery of snowy owls along the lakefront and the people who watch them.