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Snowy Owl (news as of sunset)



Carolinabirders,

Paula and I were very happy to see the Snowy Owl late this afternoon.  We
stayed and watched it until nearly dark.  We found that the trip from
Greenville, NC to Fort Fisher does not take very long if you pass all the
cars that are on the highway in front of you.

As others have noted, the Snowy Owl was being seen from the point where the
Bald Head Island sign marks the end of vehicular traffic on the beach south
of Fort Fisher.  As of about 5:00 p.m. the owl was sitting on the sand just
north of the old inlet.  My understanding is that the inlet has filled in,
so that if the owl should fly south further along the beach you could
continue to search for it along the 8 miles of beach and sand/mud flats
which continue on to the southern tip of Bald Head Island.  The only problem
with this is that you would have to walk.
According to Derb Carter, the owl flew about a half mile south from where he
first saw it earlier in the afternoon.  It would appear that if the owl
continues south it would almost surely head toward Bald Head rather than
across the Cape Fear River toward the Oak Island/Long Beach/Southport area.

If I were going to look for it tomorrow morning, I would hope for a sighting
at Fort Fisher, but I would be  prepared to walk south toward Bald Head if
it could not be relocated south of Fort Fisher.

If you are not familiar with the area, take I-40 to Wilmington and continue
straight south.  follow the signs to Carolina Beach.  After Carolina Beach
and Kure Beach you reach Fort Fisher.  Once you reach the historic area,
take the first paved road to the left.  The parking lot and gated beach
access road are ahead just a few hundred yards.  From the parking lot it is
just about exactly 4 miles down the beach to the Bald Head sign.  You really
don't want to have to walk this if you have a choice.

John

John and Paula Wright     h 252-756-5139

johnswrighthsd@earthlink.net      Greenville, North Carolina