Northern hawk owls (Surnia ulula) are typically found in boreal forests but are visitors to open land as well. Although primarily visual hunters, their keen sense of hearing allows them to locate prey up to a foot below the snow. Lots of voles here on Sarichef Island. Day by day, more new species of birds are arriving–gulls, geese, ducks, sandpipers, songbirds. Here and there amidst the snow melt and winter-brown vegetation, a few shoots of green are poking up.