Bird Calls Radio's Bird of the Day for Tuesday, Aug. 9

The Bird Calls Radio Bird of the Day for Tuesday, Aug. 9, is the snowy owl. Seeing a snowy owl in New England in August is pretty near impossible _ we’re lucky enough to see them in the winter _ but I may run out of birds for Bird of the Day by the winter, so I figured I’d use it now.

Snowy owls are a highly sought-after sightings by New England birdwatchers in the winter. Some winters are better than others for snowy owl visits, but usually there are at least a few sightings each winter. They favor coastal New England when they visit, but they may show up anywhere inland as well.

Their large build, white plumage and yellow eyes make them a sight to behold in the bird world. Most snowy owl sightings are from great distances, often requiring a spotting scope for a good look. A few years ago in November, a snowy owl visited the public beach in Norwalk, CT, and hung out for days on a rock jetty, offering close looks for the throngs of birdwatchers and passers-by who visited the beach.

Be sure to check out Bird Calls every Saturday from 3 to 4 p.m. on WSTC/WNLK AM1400/1350 (in S. CT and nearby NY) or www.wstcwnlk.com from anywhere in the world (where there’s Internet access, that is.) Thanks for checking in.