It always sadden me a little when I come to realize that my beloved Bald Eagles are leaving rivers of Illinois and headed back North.  It was a great year, 9 trips to the Mississippi, and over 8500 photos still to edit.

To fill the void, I took a chance and started looking for Snowy Owls.  The extreme cold along with the population explosion has forced Snowy Owls farther South that normal. Once I learned that there was at least one within 35 miles of my home, The search was on.

I strongly recommend using www.eBird.com to track any migratory birds.  Here is a link to my posted sightings.

After one trip on the weekend of 2/15 and 2/16 I was hooked!

They are supper skittish, and even though I have a 500mm lens, I couldn’t get close enough for full frame photos.

The following weekend, Friday 2/21/14 I went back and couldn’t find the snowy owl in Marshall County.  It made me more determined to find them.  I got up early Saturday morning 2/22/14 and headed North to Lee County.  Several forums I belong too as well as several Facebook groups had been posting really nice Snowy Owl photos from Lee County.  Reports of 11 – 14 birds in a 8 mile block had my curiosity peaked.

I logged close to 300 miles over 9 hours and found 3 owls.

Driving that many miles and that much wheel time, other wildlife was found.

Red Tail Hawk

A total of 5 Red Fox were found.  The last one was pretty funny, he just took off running and I saw something moving, so I sped up and got out of front of him.  He was locked onto a skunk.  He got pretty close before he turned and ran away.  He went up next to a silo and really started cleaning himself.  I believe he got a face full of spray.  The skunk got away, and I got shots of all of it.

Saturday the temp when I started out was 23, but mid day temps got up to 33.  I was mostly driving on frozen dirt roads.  With all the recent rain and thaw there was at least three times the ice under the car gave way and I was axle deep busting my way through ice and water, I thought I was screwed!  I hammered down and made it out, I could hear the ice hitting the bottom of the car.  After the last and longest run of ice and water I backed off a couple long flooded ice floats and found a different way around.  See I can learn.

My current car has never been so dirty.  I stopped to hit a bathroom and grab a drink, and couldn’t get out of the car because doors were frozen shut.

What is up next on my bucket list?  Not really sure, but hopefully back on a golf course in less than a month!

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Thanks for stopping by!
Kent