The following is from a fellow listserver, Michelle Frazier and posted with her permission:
Some of you may remember the Snowy Owl that appeared to have hitched a ride out of Wilmington NC on a cargo ship last month:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202864917483194&l=927366d385
After a turn of weather and wind, the owl sightings ceased. Captain Valentin of ICL's Independent Concept and crew hoped that the owl had located a more sheltered area for roosting on the ship, and they left raw meat here and there in case the owl was still around. When the ship arrived it Antwerp, the assumption was that the loading/unloading of cargo would flush the owl if it was still on the ship. They worked the ship, the owl didn't appear, and everyone figured that it had flown off/been lost at sea.
However!
I just noticed two notes in the "Other" section of my facebook messages (who ever looks there?). Both notes from Belgium, written by excited folks who wanted me to know that a Snowy Owl showed up near Zeebrugge, a coastal area not far from Antwerp and right along the ship's route to the port. Best of all, it was first seen on the day that the ship arrived in port. Here's a link to many pictures: http://waarnemingen.be/soort/photos/328
Who knows if this is the same owl, but I am going to choose to believe that this bird's stowaway adventure to Europe was a complete success.
Some of you may remember the Snowy Owl that appeared to have hitched a ride out of Wilmington NC on a cargo ship last month:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202864917483194&l=927366d385
After a turn of weather and wind, the owl sightings ceased. Captain Valentin of ICL's Independent Concept and crew hoped that the owl had located a more sheltered area for roosting on the ship, and they left raw meat here and there in case the owl was still around. When the ship arrived it Antwerp, the assumption was that the loading/unloading of cargo would flush the owl if it was still on the ship. They worked the ship, the owl didn't appear, and everyone figured that it had flown off/been lost at sea.
However!
I just noticed two notes in the "Other" section of my facebook messages (who ever looks there?). Both notes from Belgium, written by excited folks who wanted me to know that a Snowy Owl showed up near Zeebrugge, a coastal area not far from Antwerp and right along the ship's route to the port. Best of all, it was first seen on the day that the ship arrived in port. Here's a link to many pictures: http://waarnemingen.be/soort/photos/328
Who knows if this is the same owl, but I am going to choose to believe that this bird's stowaway adventure to Europe was a complete success.
