This morning I rediscovered the male Snowy Owl I found on 1-2-15 along MN 23 just west of Mills Ford in Willmar. I didn't have my camera, so I went back this afternoon around 4:20 to see if I could find it and photograph it. I found it again at mile marker 142. As I took some pictures, it flushed and began flying a long ways away toward the east following MN 23. I hopped in the car to follow it and see where it was going. Then as I was driving east a second all white Snowy Owl came flying over my vehicle also headed east! I could see both Snowies flying at the same time! I lost track of the first, but the second perched on a pole on the minimum maintenance road 30th St. SW. When I was photographing this bird I finally spotted the first Snowy Owl about a half mile to the east on a pole along 23. Then something crazy happened. Owl #2 flushed from his perch and flew directly at Owl #1. Its talons were out and the two birds actually had a brief moment of physical contact before Owl #1 flew away to the east and Owl #2 stole his perch. I lost track of Owl #1 as it flew far to the east past US 71, but Owl #2 was still there when I left (mile marker 143).
I'll try to get some pics up on the blog later tonight. http://www.aboywhocriedheron.com Other than some extremely light barring on Owl #1's belly, the two owls looked liked twins. Owl #2 had a pure white belly. Crazy good birding! Josh Wallestad ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
