In Search of the Snowy Owl ... Nov. 26, 2012

The rumour was out that there were Snowy Owls visiting in Sandspit ... so finally we had a chance to get over to search them out! The 11:00 ferry gave us plenty of time so we headed right for the Inlet side of the Spit walk ... we were fortunate to run into our Island expert, Margo who gave us some tips and helped with identifications too!

The tide was quite high and the beach was kelp covered so it was a bit of a slippery hike out to the end where we cut back onto the roadway around the runway .... on the Inlet side we immediately saw gulls,  Can. geese and snow geese [visitors too], turnstones, sanderlings and a lone sandpiper ...

Once at the end of the Spit we saw our first Snowy Owl, perched on beachside stump ... continuing on we saw a Harrier hawk, more snowy owls apparently of differing ages considering their plumage colours and then some Snow Buntings ....

It was a wonderful calm, quiet hike ... no wind, no rain, no breakers ... just birds everywhere ....

We made it back to the airport for a nice lunch and in time to get one of our hikers on the plane heading to Snowy Ontario.


Before catching the ferry we made a stop at a new geocache site near the old Aliford Bay dock to confirm that the recent 7.7 earthquake and westerly hurricane force winds, followed at last week's 133 km southeasterly did indeed dislodge the Stravaner Cache site - soon to be replaced. We also checked out the memorial and the trailhead ... it will be on a 2013 hike list.