Snowy Owl in the dunes

Photograph by Mark Thorne

Although not a rare sight in the winter along the Massachusetts coast in recent years, it is sometimes difficult to find a snowy owl in good light, with a clean background, and close enough to photograph yet far enough away that you're not disturbing them. In late February my wife saw on eBird that a pair of these owls were a three hour drive from us, in the area of Plum Island (Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, MA), so we quickly made reservations to visit the are for just a few days, hoping we would get lucky. Freezing cold winds on a clear day made viewing somewhat uncomfortable, but I managed some lovely photos of one of the owls as it scanned the beach from atop a grassy dune. One of the loveliest and most memorable sights we've ever had as birders.