Could be, but there always seems to be a tight cluster of 2-5 birds east
of Moses Lake and none for many miles around. The same seemed to have
been the case when for several years there was a loose group of several
Snowies off Beaver Marsh Rd. Hasn't been one there since.

Gene.

On Mon, 22 Jan 1996, Dennis Paulson wrote:

> >> For anyone taking notes, this is a USUAL spot for Snowy Owls. They have
> >> been here in most winters for at least five years now--interesting for a so
> >> called irruptive species.
> >>
> >> --Jerry_Tangren at tfrec.ncw.net
> >> --Wenatchee WA
>
> >Probably a family group that got into the habit of wintering here. Do
> >other observers suspect that might happen with Snowy Owls sometimes.
> >
> >Gene Hunn.
>
> My guess is that Snowy Owls are very unlikely to migrate as family groups.
> Predators such as this tend to be better off not in social groups (you know
> the old saying, "those who stay together prey together"), so nothing gained
> by the family taking off together. And it's quite demanding to stay in a
> flock over the course of a long migration.
>
> However, I'd have no doubt that *individual* Snowies might come back to the
> same place year after year.
>
> Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
> Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
> University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
> Tacoma, WA 98416
>
>
>