The Snowy Owl

If you have ever read the Harry Potter novels or watched the movies, then you know Harry’s faithful companion, Helwig. Well, Helwig is a Snowy Owl. She’s a female but, in the movie, the actors playing her are males. How do I know this? I have actually seen a Snowy Owl right here in Virginia; in Norfolk, actually. And, “my” owl was a male. The male Snowy Owl can be identified by his almost all white plumage. Female Snowy Owls have dark markings and are somewhat larger. Snowy Owls live in the arctic tundra, but occasionally venture very far South when their main food source, a small rodent called a lemming, becomes scarce. They are considered “magical” by many, not just Harry Potter fans. They stand apart for their beauty, intelligence and charm. But, in their bleak Arctic home it is their determination and survival skills that are so enchanting.
January 28, 2016 was my husband Joe’s birthday. We had planned to go out to a nice seafood birthday lunch at a Lynnhaven River restaurant. That changed abruptly when I read on social media that a Snowy Owl had been observed that morning in the Ocean View section of Norfolk. It was perched on the roof of someone's condo!
Fortunately Joe knew of my interest in seeing one. There had been an “irruption” of them before. Irruption is defined in ecology as a sudden increase in an animal population. I really wanted to see one and hopefully be able to be close enough to take some photos. Within about 15 minutes we were in the car and on the way to Ocean View.
My heart was racing and I thought we would never get there! But when we pulled into the condo community,  I saw someone I knew already set up with a tripod and photographing the owl. She pointed to a roof!! There is was!!! The most stunningly beautiful bird that I had ever seen. It was almost pure white. It was unbelievably close! And it was fast asleep! It looked like its eyes were sealed shut! Well, it had traveled from that arctic, a couple thousand miles! I guess it was entitled to a nap. I started shooting: so what if the eyes were closed! It was a Snowy Owl!
More photographers and birders arrived. Word travels fast on social media. Soon there were about 40 people ogling the owl. It continued to nap though. It yawned and stretched. It scratched its head. But, FINALLY it opened its eyes! And I was ready. Of the more than 200 photos I took, I only have about 12 where the eyes are open.
Oh yes, Joe saw it too. He got a Snowy Owl for his birthday. Not many folks can say that. And we did get that seafood lunch at a great place called Captain Groovy’s, not far from where a Snowy Owl caught a nap on a condo rooftop.