VA birders:
The Snowy Owl was still at Dulles Airport this Saturday morning, January 28.
When I arrived at about 7:30 a.m., it was perched on a light pole
beyond the security fence near the USPS facility. At about 7:45 a.m.
it took off and flew towards the observers on the roof of the parking
garage and then perched on a light pole on the top deck of the
parking structure, about midway along. I and other birders were
able to approach it quite closely and take photos. I left at just
after 8 a.m. and it was still in the same place. This was my first
Virginia Snowy Owl, and it is a beauty.
Thanks to those who first spotted it and to Sue Heath for getting
touch with Airport Operations. I can't imagine what the airport
security people would have thought if they had not been alerted to
the certainty that many strange folk with telescopes and long lenses
would turn up to look for the owl.
Please heed the previous urgings to park in the public pay parking
lot and not in any of the other areas where permit parking is
strictly enforced. It's $5 an hour in the lot, but the bird is worth it.
Mike Bowen
Bethesda, MD
D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowen@xxxxxxxxx
