Snapshot : Snowy Owl at Sachuest
Hope is the thing with feathers , that perches in the soul — and atop rocky outcroppings at Sachuest Point in Middletown . Like Emily Dickinson ’ s “ thing with feathers ,” the snowy owl ’ s journey to our cold-bitten shores is one of hope , too . In summers of abundance in the Arctic , these birds of prey have up to eleven young , which creates food shortages and sends juveniles south for sustenance . Typically , they linger in Rhode Island between November and February . “ The longest one stayed was until the middle of April , but he was sort of an odd bird ,” says Lauren Parmelee of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island . Already in 2022 , the species was spotted at Sachuest and Napatree Points — “ open , treeless places that look like their habitat up in the Arctic ,” say Parmelee who , despite once mistaking a snowy owl for a plastic bag , says they ’ re easy to spot with the naked eye . They see us , too , often staring with the unabashed assurance of an animal at the top of a food chain . Since , like Dickinson ’ s thing with feathers , our winter visitors “ in the chillest land and on the strangest sea ”/ “ never , in extremity , ask a crumb of me ,” Parmelee makes the ask on their behalf : Try to keep at least 200 feet of distance so as not to stress them and to , as she puts it , preserve their magic for all to see before winter fades . “ It ’ s a stunning animal ,” she says . “ It ’ s a beautiful animal that , if you do have the opportunity to see it , it really will stay with you .” – CASEY NILSSON
120 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l FEBRUARY 2022