Great Gray Owls of Alberta
The roads were icy, the air was freezing, and there was snow everywhere. We arrived in Calgary just after their first major snow storm of the season. In the early morning hours while it was still dark, our guide picked us up and we were on our way to find, see, and photograph the Great Gray Owls of Alberta that live in the forests an hour or so outside of Calgary. We were all bundled up with layers of suitable cold-fighting clothing, boots, and ‘warmers’ in anticipation of the cold weather. We were not wrong to take these precautions!
It takes patience and persistence to photograph wildlife. Patience to find them while not disturbing them. And, persistence to keep looking when they haven’t been found! It is stressful in these harsh conditions for animals to survive. So, we definitely did not want to disturb their hunting in any way. Our guide has been photographing the Great Gray Owl for many years and has learned their behaviors and habits. He was the right person to locate these owls. We had been looking for the owls for over three hours. I was beginning to have doubts that we’d ever see them.
And, just like that. There was one sitting on a post quite a ways away. We stopped, got our gear ready, and proceeded to aim our cameras in her direction. We all got a few shots in and then she flew toward us. I couldn’t believe it! They are such graceful flyers, smooth and quiet.
The rest of the afternoon proved to be much more lucrative. The owls would sit on fence posts to listen (and watch) for any sign of a vole. Upon hearing one, it would dive into the snow and most often emerged with its meal. They were quite deliberate hunters and didn’t waste a movement. We saw a total of five owls, a moose, and an elk in the distance that day.
If you decide to photograph wildlife, I highly recommend hiring a guide. Find one that does not bate or harass the animals in any way which keeps them wild and functioning in the wild as they should. Photos were taken at a safe distance using a long lens, and often cropped in post processing. ENJOY!!!
Great Gray Owls
I had such an amazing experience photographing the Great Gray Owls in their natural habitat with the help of a talented guide! I cannot wait to go back!
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As a published, featured northern California fine art photographer living in the greater Sacramento area, I specialize in fine art landscape and still life photography. My style is authentic, fresh and personality-driven. I offer several educational opportunities including workshops and photography mentoring. You can learn about them by going to SERVICES. While currently living in rural northern California with my husband and a couple thousand walnut trees, I post regularly to Instagram.
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Nestled along the rugged coastline of Northern California, Point Reyes National Seashore stands as a beacon of natural beauty and biodiversity. This pristine stretch of land encompasses over 71,000 acres of protected wilderness.