Starting 2021 with a Snowy Owl Sighting

UPDATE: The Southie Snow Owl has been spotted this week out Castle Island in the morning.  So if you’re interested in seeing him/her in real life, take a walk out Castle Island and keep your eyes open and look up in the trees.

Original Post

East Fourth Street residents Susanna Casper and Jen Jackson spotted this snowy owl just hanging out on a fence on New Year’s Day. Evidently this was the third time this owl showed up!  Snowy owls are no strangers to Southie, we reported back in 2017 one perched on the playground behind the L Street Bathhouse and back in 2019 one was in a tree at Castle Island.

So what the heck is a snowy owl doing in the city?

Well, according to the National Audubon Society, of the 30-plus species of owls in North America, several have learned to thrive in urban spaces. The snowy owl will haunt flat, tundra-like places that mimic their typical northern hunting grounds. Airport tarmacs and beaches are spots you might find them.  They are almost always found during the winter especially when there is snow on the ground. So be on the lookout! 

So is seeing a snowy owl a good sign for the new year?

Well, according to CrystalClearIntuition.com, seeing a white owl represents change, transformation, and inner wisdom. “White owls are the marker of the ending of something, leading to the birth of something else. They are spiritual masters that remind you to pay attention to the lessons you learned so that you can continue to grow and evolve on your spiritual journey.” 

What a perfect bird to see on New Year’s Day!  We’re gonna take this as a sign that 2021 will be a year of transition, growth and new things!  All good things!

Thank you to Susanna and Jen for sharing the photo! 

Other wildlife spotted in Southie – last week there was a harbor seal sighting. Coyotes, deer, skunks, bunnies, mola mola sunfish, whales, bald eagles, turkeys, swans – all spotted in the neighborhood!