Happy New Year!

I got so busy with the holidays that I forgot to post this photo of a Snowy Owl that showed up in mid-November in western Rockingham County, Virginia, five miles from where I live. So, I thought I would let this beautiful bird wish you a Happy New Year!

When I heard about the Snowy Owl, my wife and I headed out, hoping to see it. I wanted to document the rarity with photos, too. A few other birders were already there when we arrived. In a matter of minutes, we were joined by several others, including two different school groups from nearby private elementary schools.

The bird sat on a 55-gallon steel drum near a pasture. Another birder had set up his scope and allowed me to take this photo with my iPhone 14 Pro. Otherwise, I would have had to heavily crop the images I took with my camera. The next day, the bird was gone, not to be relocated.

So, on behalf of the Snowy Owl, I wish you the best in 2025.

This is where the owl was found and what we saw with the naked eye. Can you find the Snowy Owl?

© Bruce Stambaugh

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Author: Bruce Stambaugh

I am a writer, author, photographer, birder, walker, hiker, husband, father, grandfather, brother, Anabaptist, and community activist. My life is crammed with all things people and nature and wonder. My late father gave me this penchant for giving and getting the most out of life, my late mother the courtesy, kindness, and creativity to see the joy in life. They both taught me to cherish the people I am with. I try and fail and try again.

13 thoughts on “Happy New Year!”

  1. Happy nature year to you and family! It is amazing that Snowy Owl sat there so long that students could see the bird! I wonder if she/he was sleeping, resting, or recovering from an injury? I say that because one year my husband and I were driving around backroads with his brother and our sister-in-law and we saw a hawk lying in the road and my brother-in-law hopped out of the car and carefully put it in our trunk to see if we could take it to the Broadway fire station to ask them what could be done to help it. So we did that, and got the hawk out of the trunk and sat it on the ground where he/she sat a few minutes and Stuart went to the door of the fire station to ask what could be one for the injured hawk and then we heard a flapping of wings etc. and it took off on it’s own.

    My bird story. 🙂 Thanks for sharing Snowy Owl, how fun to see.

    Liked by 1 person

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