Here’s another recent frame of the male Snowy Owl I found earlier this month in the fresh snow — snow that’s now mostly gone. When I saw him, he was half-tucked into the snow, looking as relaxed as a bird can be in a November wind. What really caught my attention, though, was what had his attention: a Rough-legged Hawk perched on a lone tree nearly a kilometre away.
Watching the Dialogue Between Two Arctic Hunters
I love interactions like this — subtle, quiet, nothing dramatic, but full of meaning if you watch closely. Snowy Owls and Rough-legged Hawks share the same winter spaces and, at times, the same menu. Both are Arctic hunters that drift south when food gets tight up north. They aren’t competing in any dramatic way; they’re simply reading each other the way predators do. A shift in posture, a slight tightening of feathers, a long stare — it’s a silent language that’s been passed down through generations.
At one point, the hawk shuffled its wings, and the owl narrowed his eyes just a touch. That was the whole interaction, but it said plenty. These tiny moments are why I love photographing in winter — the landscape is quieter, and the stories stand out.
The Owl That Forgot I Existed
And the best part? He wasn’t paying any attention to me at all. That’s always my favourite thing — when the bird forgets I’m there and I get to watch real behaviour, not reactions to my presence.
A fun bit of trivia while we’re here: Rough-legged Hawks are one of the only hawk species with feathers right down to their toes — just like Snowy Owls.
Strong Early-Winter Snowy Owl Numbers
New Snowy Owl sightings continue to indicate a strong winter ahead. In Chicago, there were two confirmed at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary.
And what’s more, the wider pattern this winter is looking really good: Snowy Owls aren’t just turning up in Chicago. There are at least four around MSP Airport in Minnesota, and dozens across Wisconsin — with the DNR reporting 84 so far. Up into Alberta, birders are seeing Snowies spread throughout more open country than usual. When Snowies show up early and in numbers like this across their winter range, it’s a strong signal that this could be a very good season.
Looking Ahead
With a bit of luck, this male will stick around. He’s already given me more than a few memorable moments, and winter hasn’t even settled in properly yet.
If you want a chance at encounters like this, I still have a few openings left in my Winter Owl Workshops this January and February. No guarantees, of course — nature decides what we see — but the way things are unfolding, it could be a very special year.
