Snowy Owls Invade South Dakota

Feb 17, 2012

This has been the best winter in years to spot snowy owls in South Dakota because they're flying further south than many can remember. Here are some of the photos our readers have shared of the compelling bird.

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Kelly Preheim of Armour took this photo on December 28th at the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge. The owl was sleeping so she was able to get close with her "little point and shoot camera."
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This female snowy owl was perched on a round bale on the edge of a small prairie dog town northeast of Pierre, SD near Okobojo just off Highway 1804. Photo by Christian Begeman.
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Celeste Elwood of Yankton caught this photo on January 6th. She was birdwatching on the edge of Lewis & Clark Lake with her 3-year-old granddaughter, Josslyn.
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"As I approached for a closer shot, she decided I was getting a little too close for comfort and took flight," says Christian Begeman. "I was able to get this shot just after she left her perch."
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Mary Gertsema of Yankton took these photos in January at the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge. Owls were on fence poles, power poles, storage bins, rock piles, and just sitting in the fields.
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On the lookout for field mice? Photo by Mary Gertsema.
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Bird on a wire — photo by Mary Gertsema.
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Mary Gertsema of Yankton took these photos in January at the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge. Owls were on fence poles, power poles, storage bins, rock piles, and just sitting in the fields.
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Photo by Mary Gertsema of Yankton.
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Jana Thompson captured this photo in January near the Sturgis airport.
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Ron Linton took this photo on Highway 14, 10 miles west of Pierre.
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Madeleine Scott saw this owl on Christmas day near Beresford. "We sat next to it for about 5 minutes and it didn't even flinch."
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Paul Kern took this photo five miles east of Lake Andes.

Comments

05:57 am - Tue, February 28 2012

Tony Willman said:

There has been a plethera of snowies this year, but would just like to advise that I know of a site on the Crow Creek Reservation that consistently has the northern visitors nearly each winter. I've heard there are other isolated retreats in the state as well that can predicably produce these snowbirds.