LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1542246
LOCALadk 27 Growing up, we lived in the woods. We were lucky kids, my brother and me: our playground was the nat- ural world around us. Most days, I was outside looking for critters and listening to the wild woods, hoping to run into something exciting. But one day, nature came looking for me. I was home alone, sitting on the couch watching T V, when a loud thud shook the house. I grabbed the phone, called my mom, and ran to find the source. My childhood home had high ceilings, so bird collisions were not uncommon. But a collision of this magnitude had never happened before and hasn't happened since. On the porch sat a stunned Snowy Owl. My heart skipped a beat. Still on the phone with my mom, I grabbed a blanket and then gently scooped up the owl, settling it in my lap. I stroked its head and quietly spoke to it until it started to come to. When it seemed ready, I set it back on the porch. Within a minute it took off. It lingered around our property for a few days before disappearing altogether. That brief encounter left me with a sense of wonder that still follows me today: a lifelong love for Adirondack wildlife, especial- ly owls. "Hoo" the heck is out there? There are a number of owl species that can be found while exploring the Adirondacks: Barn Owls, Barred Owls, Great Horned Owls, Northern Saw-whet Owls, Eastern Screech-Owls, Long-eared Owls, Short-eared Owls, and Snowy Owls. There can also be some rarer visitors from the north: the Boreal Owl and the Great Grey Owl. From the tiny Northern Saw-whet Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls to the towering Snowy Owls and Great Horned Owls, the Adirondack Park is home to some of the most amazing birds of prey…if you can find them. The Snowy Owl's white feathers help it to blend in with the snowy landscape they call home, while the Great Horned Owl uses its famous feather tufts and brown plumage to help it blend in with surround- ing woodlands, their camouflage helping them stay hidden from prey. Unfortunately, their camouflage also makes them hard to spot for your average hikers, wildlife photographers, and animal enthusiasts. Owls have also evolved to fly through the air silent- ly. Scientists believe this has two uses: 1. So the owl's prey can't hear them coming and 2. So the owl can focus on tracking the sounds its prey makes. So, if an owl can hide in its surroundings and it doesn't make sound when it flys, how do you find owls out in the wilderness? Story and photos by Mikayla Ploof