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Above: Snowy Owl, Island Beach State Park.
After the first appearance of snowy owls
along the Jersey Shore, there was only a
small chance they would return the follow-
ing year. To my surprise, they did return.
This photo is one of my favorites. After
walking several miles up and down the
beach on a very cold and windy afternoon,
I was about to call it a day. On my way back
to the car, I spotted this snowy owl. Its yel-
low eyes were incredible in the fading light.
Right: Snowy Owl, Holgate
(on Long Beach Island).
I photographed this snowy owl in January
2016 on a cold, overcast, and windy day.
But finding a snowy owl always brightens
things up for me. It was worth the sev-
en-mile trek down and back through the
sand. This snowy owl, seen here yawning,
seemed very comfortable until a juvenile
bald eagle passed overhead. Then the owl
became quite agitated and followed the
eagle's flight above him. He relaxed again
once the eagle had moved on. During the
day, a snowy owl may hardly move for sev-
eral hours.
