In 2013, the northern United States was in the midst of an irruption. No, that isn’t a typo; an “irruption” is a sudden increase in a species’ population, usually due to surges or crashes in food supplies. The winter of 2013-2014 was just one of those crazy years for Snowy Owls. Areas that had one seen only a handful of owls every year were now seeing dozens, and places that had once harbored dozens were now home to hundreds. Birders were going crazy, as was the general population of non-birders. Who doesn’t want to see a Hedwig look-alike, from Harry Potter fame?

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