Snowy Owls In Michigan - 1st Birding Trip

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Well no luck finding a snowy owl on yesterday's first 2015/206 winter trip to the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge area in Saginaw, Michigan. The Snowy Owl is one of North America's largest predatory birds and a truly special animal to see in the outdoors...but, a very photographic old Chevy pickup turned out to be the highlight of our photography adventure.

Love these old trucks!

We drove the farm roads for an hour or so and were fooled several times by white objects in the fields, none of which turned out to be actual owls. 

A "false" Snowy Owl in the middle of the picture above. Dedicated Snowy Owl birders know of the frustration these objects can deliver when you're excited about finding an actual owl.

We saw very large gatherings of Sandhill Cranes. See below...

Sandhill Cranes in flight near Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, Michigan.

Also several groups of Snow Geese and 2 Bald Eagles, 2 Northern Harriers, and misc other species. 

Snow Geese in the farm fields near Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

We'll head out again soon if reports start coming in from other birders.