Snowy owls return for their winter’s stay

It’s that time of year when snowy owls make their appearance on the Island and the South Fork, where these pictures were taken on Thursday — perfectly timed with today’s first snowfall of 2017 .

One of the largest owls, the snowy summers north of the Arctic Circle before flying south for cooler climes.

DON BINDLER PHOTO A snowy owl in flight Thursday.