Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: aviator on January 11, 2018, 05:25:26 PM

Title: Snowy Owl at Sam Smith Park
Post by: aviator on January 11, 2018, 05:25:26 PM

Ah lunch!

(https://i.imgur.com/jpuvBKb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n1dtQYT.jpg)

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Sam Smith Park
Post by: Paul O'Toole on January 11, 2018, 06:07:28 PM

Looks quite the fresh feed.

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Sam Smith Park
Post by: Ally on January 11, 2018, 06:31:32 PM

How do we tell whether this is a gentleman or a lady? I guess not according to table manners...

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Sam Smith Park
Post by: thouc on January 11, 2018, 08:11:26 PM

This one is probably an immature bird (of unknown gender) as the barring is pretty heavy. Adult males have the least barring, some of them are pure white, while adult females are in between.

By the way, I saw one at Lakefront Park in Mississauga today so there are quite a few around this year. They like marinas.

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Sam Smith Park
Post by: aviator on January 11, 2018, 10:59:32 PM

Most of the raptors I'm seeing these days, Coopers, Goshawk and now Snowy owl are all immature. Don't know if that makes a pattern. This Owl seemed to protect the food or prevent it being blown away but I haven't seen that pose before.

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Sam Smith Park
Post by: Ally on January 12, 2018, 09:38:48 AM

Quote from: "thouc"

This one is probably an immature bird (of unknown gender) as the barring is pretty heavy. Adult males have the least barring, some of them are pure white, while adult females are in between.

By the way, I saw one at Lakefront Park in Mississauga today so there are quite a few around this year. They like marinas.

Thanks a lot for your explanation!