Hoo’s that?
A snowy owl was spotted swooping into Shirley Chisholm State Park over the holiday weekend — marking its first appearance in the Big Apple in years.
The rare sighting drove hordes of curious photographers, birders and wildlife enthusiasts — who braved the winter weather to catch a glimpse of the majestic yellow-eyed bird — to the Fountain Avenue side of the Brooklyn nature preserve.
“It’s one of the most beautiful and distinct owls in the world,” David Barrett, a birder and founder of Manhattan Bird Alert, told The Post. “It’s the owl from Harry Potter — Hedwig.
“It’s a rarity. It’s a rare sighting in New York City, generally one we only get in the middle of winter.”
The mostly polar white owl — hence the name — was first seen late Saturday afternoon.
Barrett said the last substantial sighting came in 2022, noting this year’s visit is part of a snowy owl irruption — an unpredictable migration pattern resulting from a successful breeding season.
Earlier this month, a snowy owl was spotted on a floating barge in Bay Ridge. But by the time reports of the sighting surfaced, the bird had flown the coop.
“That also is the last time we know of a ‘chaseable’ report in Brooklyn prior to today,” Barrett said. “After two years with nearly no Snowy Owl irruption in the New York City and Long Island area. … Long Island’s south shore already has had multiple reports of Snowy Owls this season.”
On Sunday, the Brooklyn park was crawling with binocular-laden birders.
“It’s an otherworldly experience,” Edmund Berry, 40, told The Post after making the trek from Manhattan.
Berry, who has photographed hundreds of different birds across North America — including a number of snowy owls — likened the New York City sighting to a transcendent moment.
“It’s remarkable to see something that so clearly comes from the Arctic,” he said. “Seeing one in person is just a jaw-dropping experience every time.”
The wildlife photographer, Barrett noted that the owl — likely a first-year bird that was hatched this summer — had probably flown more than 1,000 miles before landing in the Five Boroughs.
Experts estimate the entire population is less than 30,000 in North America — and only a fraction of those migrate a long distance in a given year — making the owl’s cameo all the more unusual.
“Shirley Chisholm State Park is an excellent habitat for a Snowy Owl — relatively flat and not densely forested, with plenty of rats,” he added. “Snowy owls have no problem transitioning their hunting from the much smaller lemmings of the Arctic tundra to heftier New York City rats!”
Birder Gus Keri ventured out to the park around 8 a.m. Sunday where, amidst the fog, he found the owl perched near a path. He compared laying eyes on it to a “spiritual experience.”
“The moment I saw my first snowy owl, I fell in love with this species,” Keri said. “And I became obsessed when I heard about one, especially if it was in Brooklyn. I immediately wanted to share my happiness with everyone. It was an amazing experience.”
At approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday, however, the snowy owl — perhaps feeling the weight of wandering eyes — abruptly abandoned its perch atop the park.
Birders observed the owl taking flight over the Atlantic Ocean before settling on an undisclosed island in the bay. And it was still partially viewable on the small landmass Monday morning.
There’s a possibility it could remain in the Big Apple for the winter. And possible sightings of other snowy owls could occur through March, when they make their enduring journey back to the Arctic.
“They come back — birds can fly, so you never know what you’re going to get,” Berry added.
