Some snowy owls and their admirers are causing problems for the Jetport. (WGME)
PORTLAND (WGME) — Some snowy owls and their admirers are causing problems for the Jetport.
Snowy owls have returned to Portland International Jetport, and this year they are in fairly high numbers.
Monday, CBS 13 videotaped a snowy owl right along a service road near the runway at the Jetport. Two others were seen as well.
Officials at the Jetport say this winter they have seen an increase in Snowy Owls migrating from Canada, and birders are spreading the news about the snowy owls on social media.
The Jetport says several birders were along the Frontage Road south of the Jetport this weekend watching the owls, and a Jetport official says the increased number of birders are starting to cause a problem.
“That has led to public safety concerns we have with birdwatchers coming out, blocking some of our emergency access points, parking illegally on the side of the road,” Assistant Airport Director Zach Sundquist said. “And we want to make sure everybody coming out to jetport that it’s a safe place for them.”
Sundquist says they don’t want anyone to scare or flush the birds into the path of a jet, he says they want the owls left in natural habitat.
He says there is an observation parking area south of Jetport by the MacJet hangar for birders.
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