A PICTURE BOOK OF SNOWY OWLS by Bryan Shane with Poetic Verses From Patricia Lafferty is Available Now
As North America is experiencing an irruption of Snowy Owls-the likes of which have not been seen in decades-the wildlife photography of Bryan Shane and poetic verses from Patricia Lafferty come together in 'A Picture Book of Snowy Owls' to tell the story of the life and habits of these interesting birds. Shane's photos capture the incredible beauty of the Arctic nesters as they fly, hunt, nest and rest, while Lafferty's poetry speaks to the reader from the perspective of the owl itself. Shane's photos depict some of the owl's instinctive and natural behaviors as they soar high in the sky, hunt for food, warm themselves in the sun and relax in their ground-level nests. The foreword, written by world-renowned birder Bruce DiLabio, provides a synopsis of-and his own personal connection to-the life of the Snowy Owl.
Throughout many cultures, including Native American, Celtic, Egyptian and Hindu, the symbolism of the owl has been used in art, literature and spiritual teachings. Wisdom, mystery, transition, intuition and wealth are just some of the symbolic meanings behind these fascinating creatures. In his book, Shane immortalizes their beauty with his photographs-crisp close-ups of the Snowy Owl in flight, catching prey, and at rest. The intensity of their golden eyes is mesmerizing and the purpose of their striking white plumage and complex wing structure is evident. Accompanying each photograph are four lines of verse with descriptive titles that poetically explain the activities of the owl in the photo.
Snowy Owls are easily recognizable and are one of the largest species of owl. They spend breeding season (May to June) and summers in the tundra, and they winter south in their search for food. Due to 90% survival rates of last year's chicks in the arctic, the owls were forced to seek food further south. As a result, there is an unprecedented irruption of Snowy Owls in North America as far south as Florida and Bermuda. "The increase in their survival rates this year," explains Shane, "provides a unique opportunity for many to learn about Snowy Owls and perhaps offers some motivation for people to seek out these magnificent birds in their local areas."