It Feels Like Just the Beginning!

The pursuit of a “bucket list” photo can be a real driving force in one’s photography. So it is with me and owls. I’ve been very fortunate to photograph every owl species in NoAm except the Sawhet with some species quite extensively. But never enough for my passion for these amazing creatures. It all started long ago with this species in Yellowstone when I captured, on film, two clicks, just two clicks of an individual far off on the edge of a clearing. Oh, I’ve had many opportunities with them in CA, OR, MT, WY since, but they all seem fleeting. That is because the nature of owls, is fleeting.

Then this past week I was blessed with an afternoon, over four hours with one individual and it was simply, exceptional! The fact it slept for half of the time was great as it afforded time to just take it all in. From its size, I think it was a male, and having fed quite often, it was quite content. Once it woke up, it was then back on the hunt. I was fortunate to see it go down in the snow twice and downing a vole in a single swallow. In the lower photo, it had just moved to this new ‘perch” as they are able to land on the smallest of twigs. It stared with great intensity straight ahead for some time. Then, without a clue it launched, did a complete 180, landed on a vole, and munched it. Amazing, simply amazing! I’ve spent a lot of time with owls over my career and after these four hours, it feels like just the beginning!