Northern Light Nature Photography

GALLERY 203: SNOWY OWL
For years, the Snowy Owl has been my nemesis bird. Following tips and reports from birders, I would drive for hours on back country roads trying to find owls to photograph. Rarely did I ever identify an owl and never within range for photography. Reports started coming in early last winter of a Snowy Owl irruption including Minnesota. I went out early in the season and was thrilled to finally be able to find an owl and observe it albeit at considerable distance. Upon first arrival, owls were found perched on irrigation equipment far out in the middle of farm fields, later preferring to perch on telephone poles along the road. Neither of these perches were ideal for photography in my opinion and I was frustrated by the inability initially to get close. Over time, several owls in the local area became accustomed to people observing and photographing them and it became progressively easier to follow them. After not being able to approach the owls initially I had given up on the chances for good photography and had resumed photographing swans on the ice on the St. Croix River. One morning I went through the ice resulting in a dunked camera and lens and very wet and cold feet. It was minus seventeen that morning. The weather seal saved the camera but the lens required extensive repairs by Nikon. I decided it was a sign to try something different. I had heard there was an owl in the northern suburbs holding a pretty confined territory so I went to check it out. It was a lucky break from more than one perspective. Not only did I finally get to photograph and observe a cooperative Snowy Owl at close range but I ran again into my friend Erik whom I have bumped into at multiple places photographing birds over the years and we became reaquainted and it is here where I first met my now good friend Mr Jay. For six weeks from February until mid March when the owls turned back north, I tried to spend at least some time on Friday, Saturday and Sunday observing one Snowy Owl. This page shows my favorite images from the effort.