Following the unexpected appearance of a snowy owl in a short stretch of Cypress suburbs last month, which generated flocks of residents and bird enthusiasts turning out to catch a glimpse, locals speculate the bird may have moved on earlier this week.
Though locals claim not to have seen the bird since Monday, officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are also monitoring for new owl sightings. Community members remain hopeful for another sighting as well.
“She’s just so beautiful, I hope she’s still here,” Cypress resident and retired nurse Carina Silva told The Epoch Times.
Cypress resident Roy Rausch created a Facebook page for the bird titled “The Cypress Snowy Owl,” which now has over 2,000 members, as locals submit their photos of the bird to the page.
According to state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials, the rare bird is suspected to originate from the Arctic Tundra. Having arrived thousands of miles south of its habitat led many to marvel at its unexpected appearance.
The owl, nicknamed “Snowy” by multiple media outlets, had been perching on various houses in a small Cypress neighborhood. During the day, residents reported seeing the suspected female on various rooftops and chimneys, according to media reports.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has subsequently organized an expert talk presenting on owl research and conservation at the Cypress Community Center on January 19 at 7 p.m.
The talk will be hosted by the Sea and Sage Audubon Society—an Irvine-based nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of birds and other wildlife—in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Leading the discussion is Denver Holt, a lead researcher from the Owl Research Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to owl conservation.
According to a recent press release, Holt has been a leader in owl research, education, and conservation for over 30 years and has spent much of his life out in the field researching these birds.
The expert will be presenting his findings in hopes of educating the public about conservation for birds like “Snowy,” who made her way to Cypress, as well as how such birds will coexist with humans in an ever-changing environment.
