When the Snowy Owl you have been watching takes off after catching and eating a vole, as a photographer you “press the shutter release down” and pray.

Life was good up in Sax-Zim Bog yesterday afternoon. Catching this Snowy hunting ended a week of frustration with three different species of owls (more on that later)

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The hunt actually unfolded in this manner. The Snowy was perched far across a field on someone’s deer hunting shack. It obviously saw movement because the owl took flight and then quickly moved through a succession of tamarack trees that put the sun behind the attacking bird. It was nice to have the owl “move towards me” today.

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I mentioned “a week of frustration”. Two nights ago just before sunset I watched two Snowy Owls perched within 150 yards of each other for over 80 minutes. Neither owl moved till after sunset, and even then the birds were not willing to pose with the gorgeous sunset behind them.

The other problem has been the “forest is noisy”. Over the past week I have seen my local Great Horned Owls twice while hiking. However now that the snow on the ground has melted, the ice crystals amongst the leaves makes for an extremely crunchy noisy concoction. While hiking it is impossible not to step on the carpet of leaves, and owls hate noise. Even when I have been in my car similar problems have arisen. Five days ago I found a Great Gray Owl at sunrise. I was only driving my car a few miles per hour, but dirt roads are just as noisy for similar reasons. We need snow to dampen down the sound factor! Thankfully life was good yesterday afternoon with the Snowy Owl.