From Huron Daily Tribune - Feb 13, 2025
Snowy owls frequently migrate from their arctic home to this area in search of food. It’s not unusual to see this white ball of feathers soaring through the skies over Huron County’s open fields during the winter months. Frequently they can be spotted along country roads sitting atop utility poles or in trees. They are predators on the lookout for small animals or birds to sustain them through the winter months, before heading north when the weather warms up.
This winter a certain snowy owl has garnered attention because of its unusual coloration. Normally white, this owl is noticeably brighter, sporting a rather jaunty reddish/orange appearance. It has been seen numerous times over the last few weeks, and made a splash on social media, causing photographers from as far away as Detroit, Port Huron, Flint, and Grand Rapids to travel to Huron County in hopes of spotting the snowy owl with the colorful anomaly.
Because of its coloration, the owl’s presence has been reported to wildlife authorities, who seem to be at a loss as to why it sports such brightly colored feathers. Reasonable guesses range from it being a natural mutation to some sort of human contact, whether accidental or intentional.
Among the human contact theories are that it was perched and drenched with fire retardant in proximity to a wildfire in Canada. Another theory is that it was perched and drenched with deicer at an airport runway. Other theories are that it was accidently sprayed with paint while near bridge construction or marked by an unknown but authorized scientific entity in order track it more easily.
No matter what the cause, this brightly colored snowy owl is a beautiful bird. Someday, the cause of its colorful anomaly may be known. In the meantime, people are encouraged to respect it, and let it exist peacefully, as it seems to be healthy and living the life of a ‘normal’ snowy owl.
I swear I came across a blue bee once as well! I wish native bees were more common and documented as much as the honey bees. As you said, it was crazy seeing a blue insect!
Check out the other response above. Someone mentioned “blue orchard bees” and I think that might be what I saw. Very similar, at least.
I was looking at that too after we started talking about this. It seems they’re all over the US, as I’m on the east coast, but they look so different in every single picture it makes it really hard to tell. If there were multiple blue bees though, I would think there would be more info out there on them as they are very cool. I’m fine assuming it is an orchard bee though.
Yeah, they naturally range from bright blue to sorta greenish, so it can make ID a little tricky sometimes. I just suggested blue orchard bees, since that’s what first came to mind, but it could be an Augochloropsis bee too!
Oh wow. There are so many neat bees!
I just love bugs, haha
I agree. That’s been the experience I’ve had all along. Some show blue wings, which isn’t quite right. Some are mostly black, nope. Also hard to tell size–some pics look like big honeybees, but these were pretty small. The one I posted is very close, but arguably a little too plump. But way closer than the blue hornets/dirt daubers I mostly saw as results previously.
It has made me feel a little like I really did have a magical experience, because it’s so rare to be unable to just search for something and find a definitive answer.
I just suggested blue orchard bees, since that’s what first came to mind, but it could be an Augochloropsis bee too!
We’ve gotten quite spoiled by all the info at our fingertips that it drives a person crazy when they can’t find something! 😅