Voyageurs National Park: The Snowy Owl

We've been hearing consistent reports about a snowy owl that has been hanging around Black Bay, less than a mile from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Today I called Noelle and asked her if she wanted to come out to the visitor center and we could walk across the ice to see if we could find it.

After I had closed the visitor center, I changed into the clothes Noelle had brought me, we bundled up and headed out on the ice. As we approached the island where a skier had reported seeing the owl earlier in the day there was no sign of the owl and I was starting to worry that we had made the trip for naught. However, simultaneously Noelle and I noticed a form on a mound of snow in the distance. Soon enough the form started flying towards us and we were able to confirm it was the snowy owl!

We spend about 20 minutes in the cold wind observing the owl.

We were able to get pretty close to it and took a few photos.

It was one of the most interesting wildlife encounters I've had in my life; right up there with seeing a wolf walk across a frozen Rainy Lake from our living room when we lived in the lake house, and seeing a black-footed ferret at Wind Cave National Park. Seeing the owl inspired Sierra to add it, and a few other birds to her life list.