Shot of the Month – March 2018

So, there I was driving along a road in Yellowstone NP when I noticed a collection of cars pulled off to the side of the road — always a sign of wildlife nearby.  Luckily, I found a place close by where  I could completely pull off  and park.  I got out and ran across the road to where I could see the tops of a few heads of people gathered together.  As I made my way down a small hill I saw this lovely Great Grey Owl.  I ran back to my car and collected my gear and made my way back.

There were perhaps 12-15 people in a semi-circle around the bird as she (I am not sure if it is a he or she, but let’s go with she) was perched on a dead tree stump.  I was annoyed as folks with smaller lenses were, in my opinion, getting too close to the bird.  One of the benefits of shooting with a 600 mm lens is that I don’t need to get super close to my animal subjects and can avoid the risk of disturbing them.  That all being said, this magnificent owl didn’t seem to take any notice of the humans — she was in hunting mode and was focused on listening and scanning the grass below.

After a few moments the owl took off and flew about 20 yards to a nearby tree.  And with that most of the humans started walking back to their cars.  I was amazed by this, given that the bird was just right over there, not that far really.  But I said nothing and just watched as the crowd left.  After a few minutes I walked over to the tree.  Sure enough there she was, sitting at the top of a pine tree, still hunting.  Now there was just 3 humans- me and two other photographers.

The owl took off again and followed the line of the narrow valley leading to the forest – she was still hunting and apparently following the rustling sounds of mice that we certainly could not hear.  She flew from tree to tree as she listened for prey in each little meadow.  After about 45 minutes the other two humans lost interest and went back to their cars.

And now here I was, alone with this incredible owl — the largest owl in North America by length.  We were now far enough into the forest that we could not be seen from the road.  No one would be able to find us here.  In total I spent 3 magical hours observing this beauty.  During this period I saw her catch at least 2 mice.  It was always over in a few seconds.  Leap from a tree, dive head first toward to the ground and at the last second pull up and strike feet first.  Gulp down the meal and on to the next tree.  Repeat.  She was not perfect and there were several pounces where she only caught grass and stems.

Wildlife photography can often be fast and furious — worrying too much about apertures, shutter speeds and other technical minutiae.  I often don’t really “see” my subject until after I get back and can review my images.  And with the growing number of people on this planet, and with more and more people with cameras, one’s time in the “wild” is far too often spent with a gaggle of other humans.  Crowds of folks with long lens and tripods like myself.  Usually, such forays are not prone to communing with nature and reflecting on life.

But spending three hours, in a pristine Yellowstone forest, with this larger than life owl?  Heaven.  The experience captured the ideal of what draws me to nature photography.  No sounds but that of the forest birds.  No banal banter.  Just the occasional sound of the rustling wind.  I could sit on the ground and just stare at the owl and really soak her beauty in.  Sure, there were some frantic moments when the hunt was on – but then many, actually most moments were spent just sitting and being.  A forest.  An owl.  A man.

But our spirit has an instinct for silence. Every soul innately yearns for stillness, for a space, a garden where we can till, sow, reap, and rest, and by doing so come to a deeper sense of self and our place in the universe. Silence is not an absence but a presence. Not an emptiness but repletion. A filling up.

~ from LISTENING BELOW THE NOISE by Anne D. LeClaire

 

Below are a collection of images from our journey into the forest together.  Click on the first image and then use your right arrow (if on a computer) to move through from one scene to the next.

 

 

 

 

 

Until next month….

 

 

 

Nikon D4S, Nikon 600mm f/4, 1/800 s, ISO 360,