Plum Island

[James Parker]

What is the best time to go to plum island in hopes of getting a shot of the snowy owl? Thanks in advance for your help. Jim

[Axel Hildebrandt]

The owls could be there any time in the winter. I haven't seen any reports of good photo opportunities this winter yet. I would recommend checking out the MA birding list: http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/MASS.html

[Myer Bornstein]

There has been one snowy owl reported at plum island but have not seen any pictures on the Massbird list. I was going to go mup there today but the blizzard did me in.
Myer

[Bob Malbon]

Jim, So far only one at PI. I would track the list posted by Axel and this on that is PI only - It has a link at the top to a PI map. http://www.bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/pisightings.html
here is one from last Winter at Salisbury Beach State Reservation, They do like to pose!
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[Myer Bornstein]

There are now 2 Snowy's at plum Island one at the North End and one around the matainance Building. I saw it on SAT. However it was to far away to photograph need a spotting scope at 50X

Myer

[Axel Hildebrandt]

There are now 2 Snowy's at plum Island one at the North End and one around the matainance Building. I saw it on SAT. However it was to far away to photograph need a spotting scope at 50X

Myer

Thanks, Myer! Let's hope some find their way a little further south.

[Anand Kavalapara]

James

Had some incredible luck last year at Plum Island, with the snowy hunting a native vole. This involved freezing my a$$ for more than an hour for the owl to move. You can see how far the owl was in the first shot and how camouflaged they are.

You can see the complete sequence here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/akavalapara/FMSnowyOwl#

This was taken Feb 2009.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Anand, did you bait the owl or did the vole just go for his morning walk? :)

[Myer Bornstein]

Anand
That is a great series of pictures. do you rember what your camera setting were"

[allanrube]

Only one snowy owl has been reported close enough to photograph. reports from last winter were so different, but this year is the norm - not last year.

[Anand Kavalapara]

Axel: No I did not bait the owl and I never do so too. Checked with Mass Audubon and they the rodent is native to Plum Island.

Myer: The setting was
Sigma 500 f/4.5 on 40D
ISO: 800, f/4.5 Av mode. The SS was between 1/1800-1/3200 sec

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Axel: No I did not bait the owl and I never do so too. Checked with Mass Audubon and they the rodent is native to Plum Island.

Myer: The setting was
Sigma 500 f/4.5 on 40D
ISO: 800, f/4.5 Av mode. The SS was between 1/1800-1/3200 sec

Thanks, Anand! It was a pretty bad move on part of the vole then. :)