Sad news came a few days ago when it was announced that a well-known Snowy Owl had been found dead in Minnesota. Last January, this owl had been hit by a bus in Washington, D.C. and was brought to the Minnesota Raptor Center for care and rehabilitation. I watched with rapt attention as the bird underwent a feather transplant:
And then I watched her triumphant release:
I was devastated to learn she had been found dead. The assumption is that she had been hit by a car but based on her condition, had been living a healthy life hunting until the accident.
The Husband and I spent a day looking for these beautiful birds last January during the 2014 Snowy Owl Irruption. They were a breathtaking sight:
This loss is a moving reminder of the fragility of nature.