There seems to be a major movement of snowy owls over the boarder into the states. What I have observed here on Long Island is the the birds have come and gone in a day. I also have noticed that northern harriers have been doing the same. Additionally birds are appearing much farther to the south than one would normally expect.
I believe this lack of stationary birds could be a result of limited food availability. Long Island also has lots of farm land so why not there if there is slim pickings at the beach. Well maybe this means the birds need to compete with redtail hawks.
I would like to hear others thought and observations. And yes there was a bird sighted at the airport in Hawaii. What next St Thomas?
Here's a google map showing the sightings so far http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=...044af8d1&msa=0 I believe that this eruption of Snowy's is due to a great breeding season up north and not enough food to support it!
Along the Massachusetts coast the last good year was 08-09. That year had several owls that pretty much stayed in their own territory from November - March. This year, however, there are a few on a beach south of Boston that have stayed on a 6 mile beach. North of Boston, however, they are moving around. It has been almost a week since the last sightings (that I know of.) I can't decide if they are staying or just moving through.
It's such a bizarre year for Snowy Owls that one actually recently showed up at the runway of the Honolulu Airport. It apparently was not considered to be a "stowaway", though I don't know how they determined that.
I think winter 2001-2002 was the last similar Snowy Owl irruption.
We saw our lifers in TX and one in southern OK that same year.
Time to start double checking all those white plastic bags in the fields!
Snowy Owl Sightings, Thoughts and Observations
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