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Snowy Owl, Shetland. 14/02/14 (1 Viewer)

Oh my gosh!! I never knew you could get snowy owls anywhere in uk!! What a lovely photo!:)

During the 1970's a pair of Snowy Owls actually bred on the Shetlands for quite a few years on the RSPB reserve of Fetlar and produced a number of young during that period, but sadly that 1 pair never expanded to more breeding pairs anywhere else in the UK. That pair of Snowy Owls probably died of old age I suppose.
Ian.
 
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During the 1970's a pair of Snowy Owls actually bred on the Shetlands for quite a few years on the RSPB reserve of Fetlar and produced a number of young during that period, but sadly that 1 pair never expanded to more breeding pairs anywhere else in the UK. That pair of Snowy Owls probably died of old age I suppose.
Ian.

I think it was 1967 to 75. They produced a lot of young but the adult male drove off all the male offspring so once he disappeared that was that. The females persisted into the 1980s: I ticked one of them on Fetlar in 1986 on the same trip as Red-necked Phalarope and Black-browed Albatross.

Snowy Owls are better than annual as vagrants to UK, can turn up from Shetland to Scilly and often stay for some time, so if you are prepared to travel they are quite twitchable (and always worth the trouble!)

John
 
Ditto,but in 1985,and the Snowy Owl was on Unst,along with a R-n Phal which had 4 newly hatched chicks,truly amazing :t:

There were still two in 1986, we missed the Unst one but nailed the Fetlar bird with the help of the vols, who had just come back from leading another group up to see it and uncomplainingly put their boots back on and guided us. I don't know who they were but I shall be eternally grateful to them.

John
 
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