Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Snowy Owl
Scientific name:	Bubo scandiacus
Date:	12/12/2022
Time:	17:34
Length of time observed:	3 minutes
Number:
Age:	Juvenile
Sex:	Female
Location:	40 N 300 W Brigham City, Utah
County:	Box Elder
Latilong:	41.51111 N 112.0203 W
Elevation:	4392 ft
Distance to bird:	20 feet
Optical equipment:	none
Weather:	Overcast
Light Conditions:	Dark
Description: Size of bird:	appoximately 1 foot tall
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Large head with yellow eyes
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	White with black markings
(Description:) Bill Type:	short hooked bill
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Observed sitting on the side of the road. Initially mistaken for a clump of dirty snow. Base plumage was white with dark (black?) spots.
Song or call & method of delivery:	Not observed
Behavior:	Sitting on the side of the road before flying away.
Habitat:	Suburban
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Only owl that I could find that was white with dark coloring.
Previous experience with this & similar species:
References consulted:	Audubon society, wikipedia
Description from:	From memory
Observer:	Spencer Smith
Observer's address:	425 N 300 W
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	12/14/2022
Additional material:
Additional comments:	While driving home, as I approached where the owl was, I initially thought it was a clump of hardened snow that hadn't melted yet. It had snowed that morning. It seemed out of place due to no other snow still being on the road. As I got close and passed. I noticed the yellow eyes. With it being on the road, I was concerned that it had been injured. I turned my car around to check on it. When I approached it again, I illuminated it clearly with my headlights. I exited my car and slowly approached it. It again looked at me and I was able to clearly observe the hooked beak, yellow eyes, and white plumage with dark spots. It was squatting down in a manner that I could not see it's feet. I was able to approach until I was about 20 feet away at which point it flew away on it's own. It flew low to the west, with the low light I was not able to see where it went.