UW-Manitowoc Professor Emeritus, Charles Sontag, is frequently seen at the local waterfront observing shorebirds. According to Woodland Dunes Executive Director Jim Knickelbine, Sontag has recently spotted snowy owls visiting us. Knickelbine explains it’s extremely variable as to how many of the owls come down here from the Arctic each winter.
“And this was not predicted to be a very active year for snowy owls. But they’re showing up all across Wisconsin, I think more than 70-have been seen. And Dr. Sontag has seen up to four at a time down at the containment (area).”
Knickelbine added snowy owls are “really interesting birds.”
“They’re beautiful, white. The females are a little bit darker, and heavily speckled with black on their bodies. And the males tend to be more white.”
He also cautions bird-watchers about getting a photograph of our northern visitors.
“People like to try to photograph those birds. It’s important to realize that these are birds that’ve traveled far from the Arctic, often winter is a difficult time for them. And they are this far south looking for something to eat. It’s good not to approach them too closely.”
Knickelbine says people love to photograph them, but it’s best to do that from a distance, respect the birds and not chase them around down there, and constantly flush them around from where they’re trying to rest.
