THE SNOWY
OWL
^ p iIE PLA IN of the snow-cov-
* ered coastal m arsh was in ter
rupted by curving tidal creeks
and an occasional white-capped
haystack, like a m arshm allow
cookie.
Atop one of these a
snowy owl sat, silent and alert.
A lone crow flying tow ard the
beach spotted him there and
sounded an alarm . In a moment
a gang of black rascals was caw
ing and jeering its traditional
enemy of darkness. Since most
owls see poorly in daylight, they
are considered safe game; but this
around the pole beyond the limit I te r in their bleak homeland, there
of trees and as far north as land I is a southw ard m igration to , future of this rapacious and beau
tiful birds seems secure
is known, the great w hite owl has
northern United S tates each fall.
its home. Snow persists in May J Some years as result perhaps of
and June when the bird scratches feed shortage, it is a veritable in
a depression in the moss on a hill v a s io n . These owls are birds of
ock top and lays 5 to 8 white
A showing ol the colored movies
, the open country, being seen most
oggs.
r<, feed the voracious often about the Great Lakes, the taken on th eir trip to oriental
>oung, this fearless hun ter will
Saint Lawrence river and along j IHu ts on the President Wilson.
take anything to twice its size
the A tlantic coast. They appear I was recently shown to a group
Lorn big Arctic hares, game and irregularly in num bers to Vir I of friends by the Lyle Redlields
‘ lore birds to fish, but its normal ginia, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado and Mrs. Weber. Many bdautiful
food consists of mice and lem
and W ashington, having w andered souviners native to each port w ere
mings. Much of the year it roam s to the Gull coast and Bermuda. also displayed ami much enjoyed
the tundra like a nomad per-
Look lor them on dunes, posts, by all those seeing them.
totm ing invaluable service in re hayricks, hummocks ami m usk
ducing populations of those do rat houses rarely in trees.
st tuctive rodents. Of necessity, in
Since stuffed w hite owls arc no
a land of midnight sun, it has longer the approved decoration of
learned to hunt by day.
I cigar stores and bars, says the
1 hough m any snowy owls win- National Wildlife Federation, the
Local News
THURSDAY, JANUARY
Snowy Owl
Pilot Class Ads Pay
BROOKINGS BARBER SHOPS
C U R -D E L
CLEANERS
Jake and Lloyd
NAPA? MfWVtAR
’
k
’
We are thankful to be starting
another year in our community,
among our good friends.
Success to every one of you.
NORMA'S
Beauty Salon
B R O O K IN G S M A R K E T
Les and Bob Dimmick
1 1953
Mr and Mrs. W arren Sm ith ami
their d au g h ter and fam ily of Ev
e re tt, W ash., are in Long Beach,
Calif., to celebrate the holiday
season.
Mr. and Mrs. A rt Forsburg
have lately visited a dau g h ter in
San Francisco
Our affection
will be with
throughout
♦Ke year«
' 952 Notional Wildlife Federation
was no ordinary owl. Crouching
low, w ith fierce yellow eyes it
watched every movement of its
torm entors. Suddenly it sprang
into the air.
Pow erful talons
snatched a crow in full flight. Re
turning to its perch w ith uncon
cern .he great bird tore out the
flesh and swallowed it, then,
squat ing, wiped off its face in the
snow as a cat does. The crows
w ere gone.
The snowy owl is spectacularly
handsome. It is all w hite except
for m ore or less distinct brownish
bars on back and belly. Its head
is big and round w ithout ea r
tufts, or horns. By both weight
and wing span it is A m erica’s
largest owl, w ith a weight of 5
pounds, length to 26 inches and
spread of 5 ’a feet.
In the chill A rctic regions, clear
Brœkings I larbor Pilot 7
try ’em.