GREAT GREY

When I arrived at the location this morning I didn’t see any other photographers there and my heart sunk a bit. Was the Owl gone? I finished my coffee contemplating just leaving but a little voice said go into the forest anyway. I hopped out of the car and opened the hatch. Threw my Cotton Carrier on and mounted my camera, grabbed my tripod and across the street I went. As I started walking through the snow covered trees I began to relax. There’s a positive vibe about walking in a forest.

My eyes were scanning the trees for the owl but all I was seeing were snow covered branches. I walked in further following the narrow path. One slip off the beat down foot path and you’re into almost waist deep snow in some parts. My eyes took turns, scan the trees, scan the path. Discouragement was setting in but at this point I wasn’t giving up. I rounded a tree line and then looking up I saw two photographers. Eyes to their cameras and lenses pointing straight ahead. I’m not going to lie, I got as excited as a little boy on Christmas morning. Those photographers weren’t making images of squirrels… the Great Grey was there!!! He certainly was. I spent 2 hours with him. Mostly sitting in the snow. I soon discovered that yes you can freeze your butt off. He flew off his perch to an even better perch and was scanning the snow below for voles. He put on quite a show for us but never did dive into the snow for its next meal. Eventually he took flight up into a tree where he sat motionless and closed its eyes.

I can’t tell you just what those 2 hours did for my mental wellbeing. Being in nature resets me but being in nature with a majestic Great Grey Owl and snow softly falling made my entire day. Yes I may have only gotten two flight images but I did get a lot of beautiful portraits of him and for that I’ll be forever grateful.

Nature…. So good for the soul.

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