The North Meadow was the place to find the Snowy Owl on Wednesday, February 10th. It arrived at dusk and perched on two backstops, before flying west out of sight. It was back on the meadow about an hour later dead center on the eastern half.

The Snowy Owl has been appearing on one of Central Park’s North Meadow ballfields at dusk each day since it arrived. Ballfield 3, 4 and Ballfield 10 seem to be favorites stops.

On Sunday, February 7th, the owl appeared from the west and landed on Ballfield 10, then flew west and we relocated it on top of the Ballfield 4 backstop (where the owl was first seen the day it was discovered). The owl then few down to the field, but quickly took off possibly to the north. We searched but couldn’t find it.

We then joined the group who was waiting for the owl to appear at the North Gatehouse of Reservoir. It appeared and left after a few minutes. The crowd was well behaved on SuperB Owl Sunday, although there were some flashes and autofocus assist lights.

It will be interesting to see what more we learn about this owl. It certainly has been seen in the area north of the Reservoir and south of the North Meadow, but where it is hunting and where it is hiding during the day remains a mystery.

Tonight, the Snowy Owl delighting folks in Central Park was light up as though it was on a Red Carpet runway. Most of the light was from high powered Autofocus Assist Lights from expensive cameras. If you have one of these cameras, please focus on the top of the tower the owl perches on before it arrives and set your focus to MANUAL.

On Thursday night, February 4th, I had a Zoom meeting and then ate dinner. I saw reports of the Snowy Owl being seen again in Central Park, so I decided to visit the park around 9:00 pm.

I ran into a person who I’ve met a few times at the Evodia Feeders and one of the Barred Owls. This person said the owl had just left and was headed north.

I tried to think like an owl and thought a large snowy field would be a likely spot to relocate the owl. After some walking around, the person I had bumped into by chance found the owl. Wire fencing was in the way of our view, and we started to walk towards a low fence. The snow had an icy crust and the crunch was enough to make the owl move on. (I felt horrible that I had flushed the owl, but we had been more than 150 yards away and I didn’t realize the snow was crunchy. Accidents like this happen even if you’re careful!)

It would have been great to just have seen the owl for a few seconds, but luck was on our side. We walked around the area and scanned the fields. My new acquaintance said, “There’s the owl, oh sorry it’s a snowman.” But I had already lifted my binoculars and I said, “Yes that’s a snowman, but the owl is right next to it.” Luckily the heavy markings of this bird make it easy to pick up in snow.

The Snowy Owl was eating a Brown Rat in the snow. The light was very dim, and we were about 250 yard away but somehow my camera was able to pick up the owl in the low light. The images won’t win any awards, but they will give you an increadible insight into what this owl is up to in the park.

We were about to watch the owl for over an hour and twenty minutes. It took its time eating the rat. It then cleaned its beak and talons in the snow and then did some playful short flights before flying off.

I’ve been lucky to have had many magical moments with nature. But this ranks in the top ten. To see a Snowy Owl eat a rodent, in the middle of Central Park was unreal. If I hadn’t recorded it, you won’t believe me if I told you the adventure.

A Snowy Owl spent the day in Central Park’s North Meadow today. It roosted on the ground between 3rd Base and the Home Plate of the number four field. Luckily for the owl these fields have been fenced off for the winter, and with the help of the Urban Park Rangers, everyone respected the owl and stayed far away. The only exception was someone who choose to illegally fly a drone above the owl.

The owl also had to contend with a Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawks and American Crows, who all would have been happy to see the owl move on.

As has become his habit, David Barrett choose to exploit the owl and promote it over social media with his twitter based Manhattan Bird Alert, as well as with his press contacts. While this specific owl was safe today, Mr. Barrett’s continued promotion of owl locations without also promoting owl watching ethics frustrated many of the city’s bird watchers.

At dusk, the owl flew around two of the ball fields, using the backstops as perches, as well the infields before flying off to the southeast.