Late post, Jan 8
on the gravel bar that is visible to the east from road two Snowy owls in a fight. First noticed adult bird perched on gravel bar at quite a distance, just a white lump. While observing, second bird, younger, flew in to rest on gravel bar. First bird/older bird chased it off with aerial combat maneuvers, quite a fracas, got some reasonable pics though quite far away, see below, each bird can be 'aged' to some extent http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16319455
Apologies for the following prose. It's not bird alert material, but I couldn't help telling this story.
Until Jan 8th, I had yet to see any Snowies, even though many had been reported right here in Phippsburg nearly in my back yard, much to my consternation. So, I had made a New Years resolution that I was not going to see a Snowy. I was trying to kick the habit.
But then, a dear friend had a court date in Portland yesterday, a case that she had been grinding along for three years. For financial reasons, she did not have an attorney so had to represent herself, which is usually never good. In court, the judge in fact, would say at least a dozen times that my friend was at an enormous disadvantage and would be better served by an attorney. That however was not an option. My friend would be up against four attorneys on the other side.
We stayed in Portland the night before so that there would be no chance of my buddy being late to court. While killing time waiting the day before, I took her to Biddeford Pool thinking a Snowy might really cheer her up and give her hope for her court ordeal or at least, distract her from fretting. It worked. We saw 5, two of them really close. My pal is not a birder, but this was a life changing experience for her. She could not stop smiling. It seemed to portend a good outcome for the next day.
While having breakfast the morning before court, though in down town Portland, I noticed from the café windows two Great Horned owl decoys on a building and lamp post. I pointed them out to my very worried friend. She believed that owls were the totem for the court process and that wisdom, if not justice, would prevail.
In fact, after six hours in court, my pal won her case and was granted an enormous settlement.
I however, have now broken two New Year's resolutions in a big way: I've seen five Snowy owls in one fell 'swoop,' in spite of myself, and have no 'weigh' of losing the 10lbs I promised myself. But it was worth it.
Robin R Robinson
http://robinrobinsonmaine.com
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