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Photo: Snowy owl at Genesee County Airport

By Howard B. Owens

Amy Vlack sent in this picture of the snowy owl that's been hanging out at the Genesee County Airport this winter.

Elizabeth Downie

I was lucky enough to see a Snowy Owl (maybe it was even that one) earlier afternoon on Saturday. S/he was sitting on the westbound ramp bridge guardrail to the I-90 from the Batavia 48 exit. Stunning! I wonder if it will find a mate, or if it already has one... it would be nice if s/he would stick around!

Dec 30, 2013, 12:41pm Permalink
Bea McManis

An owl, quite possibly the mate, was found injured at the airport last week. I believe it is recovering at a shelter. I remember seeing the picture on facebook.

Dec 30, 2013, 1:14pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Bird can be very tough Billie. In 8th grade I rescued a Blue Jay that I thought had been killed by a golf ball. (I witnessed and heard the hit.) I recovered him and was able to set the wing. My Chemistry teacher was also an amateur ornithologist. He banded the bird and I took him home to feed him and keep him protected. About a month later I was woke up by the unique sound of a blue jay's call when the morning sun hit the cage.

I spent a week getting him to flap his wings by raising and lowering my hand. Eventually by midweek he could do short flights. By the end of the week he took off and I didn't see him again until summertime. I left the cage out under a weeping willow in our backyard. I found out he would go there at night. By the end of summer whenever I was out at the pool he would come land on my shoulder and eat wild birdseed from my hand. We left a feeder out all winter and I hung the cage in the tree.m He was a she and raised 2 generations of chicks in that cage. She would come back now and again over a couple of years and perch near me but never as friendly as that first year.

Thats why I am partial to Blue Jays....my wife is always amazed when I can distinguish a blue jay call in the spring and point them out easily to her. I pray that these owls are a bit tougher than my Blue Jay.

Dec 30, 2013, 4:08pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

I'm gonna have to hike up to the airport and see and possibly photograph one of these birds myself. I cant let an opportunity like this go by even if I have to waddle up there in snowpants and a parka LOL.

Dec 30, 2013, 7:33pm Permalink
JIM NIGRO

Amy Vlack, thanks for sharing..........judging from the local weather forecast for the next few days, these owls will feel right at home!

Dec 30, 2013, 8:17pm Permalink
JIM NIGRO

Kevin - Super photo! That's something you don't see everyday...maybe a working relationship of sorts, a form of symbiosis - the turkey's superior eyesight combined with the scenting ability of the whitetail.... Once again, thanks.

Jan 3, 2014, 5:34pm Permalink

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