My View of Life on the Dock
May 23, 2022
Can you name and dates these beauties? I think there were 10 or 11 odd cars.
Parade passing by!
Atlantic Road
Around the bend on Thatcher Road heading to Gloucester from Rockport
Car collectors focusing on makes circa 1950 convened on Stacy Boulevard this past weekend. You can see photos here
stunning winter morning, February 1, 2022, about 7:30 am. Gloucester, Ma.
incl. snapshot motifs: backshore, Centennial & Stacy Boulevard, Stage Fort park, Good Harbor Beach
Jan. 31, 2022 – open with sidewalks and snowbank cuts ready for customers
Pausing at the gentle rise and dip before Atlantic back shore on a soft winter morning
pale sunrise Jan 8 2020
On Thursday as the sun was trying to come out, the clouds and blue ocean was pretty.
Staying warm and cozy and wishing everyone keeps the same during the pending storm. Here’s to blue skies on the other side 🙂
Atlantic Road Back Shore
New Year’s Day 2019 storm clouds clearing Atlantic Road
The last morning of 2018 began with a gorgeously hued sunrise, and then, as so often happens on the wild and wonderful shores of Cape Ann, there were several chance and up close encounters with our local creatures. Nearly everyday I am reminded of the astonishing beauty that surrounds, from my East Gloucester neighborhood, to the natural habitats all around Cape Ann and Massachusetts. What a magnificent Planet we share!
Buffy gold juvenile Harbor Seal in the golden light of sunrise -an amazingly relaxed, young Harbor Seal was close to shore this morning, sleeping, stretching, yawning, and scratching. More photos tomorrow when I have time to sort through all.
And a duo of American Wigeons (both male) were foraging on the sea lettuce floating around the rocky coast. More about them, too. 🙂 Notice their electric green eye patches and baby blue bills.
While chatting with Cape Ann artist Deb Schradieck and her husband Peter last night at the Good Morning Gloucester holiday bash and amazing bbq, held at Cape Ann Giclee, Deb mentioned she had done a painting of our Snowy Owl Hedwig. The painting is of Hedwig dozing off, nestled under a rocky alcove on Atlantic Road. We would often see her resting, especially during the middle of the day, in between meals. Beautiful capture Deb!
Hedwig has not yet come back to the hotels on Atlantic Road. Folks ask me about this often, whether or not she will return to the same location. Snowy Owls wander widely in their generally north-south migrations. Even if she did return, I think it safe to say, she would look different after another year molting. We would possibly be able to recognize her by habit, but then again she would be a year older, and may have developed different habits. Hedwig is mighty strong, and appears healthy, and as female Snowies are dominant over the males in staking out territory, perhaps as a more mature owl she is spending the winter closer to her breeding grounds. That is my hope for her at least, and that she has many years ahead of making many little Snowy Owlets!
Thanks again to Deb Schradieck for sharing her lovely painting of Hedwig. To see more of Deb’s work, visit her gallery on Rocky Neck and check out her website here: Deb’s Art Gallery.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhH0mbvlUwo/
Shout out to Gloucester DPW’s Michael Silva and John Harris. This morning they removed all the rocks that were blocking the drainage pipe on Atlantic Road, near the Grapevine Road intersection. The rocks had been pushed into the drain by the March nor’easters.
“We Love You Too Snowy Owl” prints for sale.
For the next two weeks, I am offering a limited edition of the photo “We Love You Too Snowy Owl.” The 8 x 12 photo will be printed on fine art hot press paper and signed. At the end of two weeks, after orders are in and checks received, I will place the order with the printer. The $95.00 price includes shipping and tax. If you would like to purchase a photo of Hedwig, please email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com Thank you!
Our beautiful Snowy Owl Hedwig was last seen on Monday night, March 12th. This was also the night before the third nor’easter. She was perched on the railing of the Ocean House Inn facing towards the sea. The wind was blowing fiercely. Well after dark, and after making several attempts, she successfully flew in a southerly direction out over the water.
It has been two weeks since that last sighting and perhaps we will see her again, but I imagine her to be safe and undertaking her return journey to the Arctic tundra, well-fed from her stay on Cape Ann. Whether she was well-rested is another story. The great majority of people who came to see this most approachable of owls were respectful and considerate of her quiet space. The crows however, were nothing short of brutal. After learning about why crows attack owls, and the degree of aggression possible, I am surprised she lasted as long as she did, and without great injury.
American Crow harassing a Peregrine Falcon, Atlantic Road
Crows and owls are natural enemies because a murder of crows may mob an owl to death (or any raptor by which it feels threatened) and owls occasionally eat crows. Crows are diurnal, which means they feed during the day. The majority of North American owl species that they encounter are nocturnal (night feeding). In the case of Snowy Owls, which feed both day and night, their paths may occasionally cross, as happened when Hedwig moved into the crow’s territory along Gloucester’s Atlantic Road.
American Crows harassing Snowy Owl Hedwig
A flock of American Crows can run circles around most owls, pecking, dive bombing, chasing, and in some instances killing. Snowy Owls are the exception; they are larger, stronger, and faster flyers than other North American owl species. And too, Snowy Owls are closely related to Great Horned Owls, a species known to eat crows when they are roosting overnight. So even though a crow in our area may never before have encountered a Snowy Owl, they instinctively know danger is present.
American Crow
With their incredible ability for recollection, crows are considered the brainiacs of the bird world. Daily, Hedwig outsmarted this smartest of bird species. She learned to stay well-hidden during the daylight hours, laying low atop the hotel roofs. Her salt and pepper coloring blended perfectly with the black, white, and gray colors of industrial roof venting equipment. She adapted to hunting strictly at night, after the crows had settled in for the evening, returning to her hideouts before the day began.
Where’s Hedwig?
From Hedwig’s perch atop the Atlantic Road hotels, she had a crystal clear view of the golf course and Bass Rocks, places prime for nightly hunting.
On one hand it would be fascinating if Hedwig had been outfitted with a tracking device. On the other, if she had been trapped for tagging, she may not return to this area. There is some evidence that Snowies occasionally return to an overwintering location. Next winter I’ll be taking more than a few peeks in the location of the Atlantis and Ocean House Inn Hotels to see if Hedwig has returned.
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“We Love You Too Snowy Owl” prints for sale
The sale of the “Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse Over Gloucester Harbor” photo went very well. Thank you so very much to all who purchased a print! Many readers have asked about photos of Hedwig. For the next two weeks, I am offering a limited edition of the photo “We Love You Too Snowy Owl.” The 8 x 12 photo will be printed on fine art hot press paper and signed. At the end of two weeks, after orders are in and checks received, I will place the order with the printer. The $95.00 price includes shipping and tax. If you would like to purchase a photo of Hedwig, please email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com Thank you!
Grateful for the tameness of today’s storm, the fourth nor’easter of March. Our coastline has had its fill of damage done. Sunny skies forecasted for tomorrow!
Snowy day seagulls feeding in the surf
Eastern Point
Shoreline, home, and garden have been hard hit by the third nor’easter to take place this March. The waves and spindrifts were magnificent, taking a short drive around the back shore this morning, but it was difficult to observe the further damage to coastline habitats.
Please bear with me, this post is actually a test to see why the Snowy Owl Hedwig update posted last night is not connecting to the GMG facebook feed.
Our beautiful Snowy Hedwig’s routine hasn’t much changed since she discovered the safety zone provided by hotel rooftops (safe from crows, that is). Hunting during the night, returning at dawn to the roof to various well-hidden niches, and then making her “entrance” at around sunset, she has adapted well to New England coastal living. After preening, pooping, and occassionally passing a pellet, she then scans the neighborhood. Hedwig bobs her head in an up and down motion a half dozen times, then flies east over the sea or west over the Arctic tundra-like golf course.
Snowy Owl Hedwig lifts her head in a bobbing motion to track prey.
Owls cannot move their eyes in the eye sockets. Instead, they employ several techniques to increase their range of sight. An owl can swivel its head a full 270 degrees. Additionally, owls bob their head up and down, a movement that aids in triangulating potential prey.
Dagger Sharp Talons.
Because the forceful impact of the Snowy Owl hitting its prey is so powerful, combined with the vise-like grip of its talons, the animal usually dies instantly.
Hedwig has so far survived three tremendously fierce storms during her stay in Gloucester. Last night, on the eve of the blizzard, she tried to take off several times towards the water. The wind current was strong, but she eventually flew successfully, heading in the direction of Thacher Island. Heres hoping she is waiting out the blizzard in one of her hideaways.
Folks are wondering how long will Hedwig stay. Most Snowies leave Massachusetts by April, although one was recorded at Logan Airport as late as July.
Atlantic Road Sunrise
Our winter resident Snowy Owl Hedwig finds plenty to eat along the backshore. Prior to taking off to hunt in the early evening we see her swivel her head and look out to sea, and then swivel around to scan the golf course. We wonder, is she thinking “Shall I have duck for dinner, or shall I have rabbit?” Here she is yesterday morning, face covered in schmutz, a happy sign to see.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf7CK96lzfT/
The best wave watching Sunday afternoon was from Atlantic Road, especially when the light turned silver-gray-violet. The mist from the pounding waves filled the air, creating a beautiful diffused quality. It was mesmerizing to see the waves hurling against the rocky coastline. Often the force was so loud, it sounded like a sonic boom had exploded. Atlantic Road was closed to car traffic while pedestrians strolled the road as though a promenade. After watching the full force of the waves during high tide, I headed over to Straitsmouth Island in Rockport. Less in strength, but still spectacular to watch.
Our beautiful Snowy Owl Hedwig survived, and looks none the worse for wear. She spent the afternoon of March 5th resting in a sunny, but wholly unphotogenic location (and extremely windy corridor, too, I might add). Perhaps a New England Nor’easter is nothing to her, when compared to an Arctic tundra storm. She’s clearly a genius 🙂 And has some mighty good survival skills.
Thank you to Betty G. Grizz for sharing her Hedwig sighting this afternoon ❤
Good Morning Gloucester 