A pair of snowy owls, the latest celebrity visitors to the beach and pier near Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, have drawn hundreds for a glimpse at the Arctic birds of prey.

Several dozen birdwatchers were still gathered at the pier at Montrose Beach just before sunset Tuesday afternoon. The city has closed a section of the pier for the black-and-white-feathered guests, and signs in the area advise spectators to keep at least 300 feet away as a “warm welcome” for the birds.

About 4:15 p.m., one snowy owl could be spotted perched atop a pole at the end of the concrete pier stretching into Lake Michigan, while the other was resting at the far side of the pier.

“It’s all a gamble,” a birdwatcher was heard telling a group who arrived just in time for a peek at the owls.

Snowy owls live nort

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