Remsen, J.V. 1978 Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca Feb. 25 Arcata, Humboldt Co., Calif: I [illegible] was studied for 20 minutes perched near the top of a spindly, tall conifer in a clump of trees in Manily bordering the coastal sand dunes. An enormous white owl with brown barring over the entire lower breast and belly, and blackish-brown rows of markings over the entire wing surface and back. There were also a few dark flecks on the head above the eyes on the crown. The iris was yellow. The feet and toes were feathered white - no claws visible. The bird was sitting in the sun and fluttered its gular area at regular intervals; the wings were also slightly drooped and held outward from the body; the ventral feathers seemed slightly compressed -- the bird seemed to be having a hard time in the torrid, windless 60° weather. A brief study of skins at MUZ indicated our bird could have been an imm.♂, ad.♀, or perhaps imm.♀. Fall imm. ♀s are more heavily barred - barring is broader and extends into breast.