As a wildlife photographer, I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting subjects to capture. One of my favorite places to photograph is Miner’s Cove at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. It’s a great place to see and photograph Barred Owls, one of the most common owl species in North America.
On July 31, 2018, I was lucky enough to spot a Barred Owl at Miner’s Cove around 8:40 a.m. I was surprised to see it out so late in the morning, as most Barred Owls go back into the timber shortly after sunrise. However, this was a foggy morning, and the fog was just beginning to lift, which may have been why it was still out and about.
I drove up on the Barred Owl, which was close to the road. I knew I would have to stay back several yards, or it would fly away. I got as close as I could by watching the Owl’s reaction. I knew if it began moving around that I was scaring it. I was able to park with the Owl toward the front left corner of my pickup.
I had one problem: my mirror was in the way, and I couldn’t use my beanbag. I was afraid that if I moved the mirror, the noise would scare the Owl, plus the angle would still prevent me from using the beanbag.
Despite the challenges, I was able to get a few good shots of the Barred Owl. I used my Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera and a Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens. I set my shutter speed to 1/640 of a second at ƒ/5.6 with an ISO of 800. I knew this was a fast enough shutter speed for me to photograph a perched Owl. I was able to raise up in my seat and get a few shots over the mirror.
The Barred Owl stayed in this place for a while, and it changed position once to look at something on the ground. It did eventually fly to a nearby tree.
I was very happy with the photos I was able to get of the Barred Owl. It’s a beautiful bird, and I’m always grateful for the opportunity to photograph it.
Steve Creek, Wildlife Photographer