Winter drive east of Calgary, 21 January 2019

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Sorry about all the Snowy Owl photos I have just posted this afternoon. Wanted to upload the photos that were even remotely fit to post, mainly for the record. I haven't taken a single Snowy Owl photo this winter that I am happy enough with, though of course I am thrilled to bits to have seen the owls and to have got any photos at all. I have been so busy and just haven't got out much to look for them. The Short-eared Owl photos are pretty grim, ha! However, I have been out there just one time, on 24 January 2019, and it was not a good time for them, at least while I was there. I saw one very distant owl on a post the far side of the field - highly zoomed and not sharp! Another owl was in a distant stand of trees. Also saw either two or three of them in flight, either being aggressive with each other or having fun. Not sure if the third was a hawk/falcon - wonder if it might have been a Prairie Falcon that had been seen by some people on a different day. Maybe everyone else got good views after I had left. Someone said that there were 40 people there the other day - and I am sure quite a few of those are people who go out often or all the time and have already got great, close images. Hopefully, I can get out there for another visit, with more luck, though I am not someone who goes out day after day just to get better photos. A close shot on a fence post is something I have never, ever got. Constantly going out only puts the owls under more stress, especially if there are too many people. Competition among photographers is huge, unfortunately. There have been a lot of Snowy Owls this winter, but that does not mean that they are easy to find. A couple of days ago, I was back east of the city again and thinking to myself that most people probably have no idea what goes into getting the few photos one ends up with. When you do eventually find one of these stunning birds, it is such a thrill. I'm always so thankful that I love to photograph other things, too, not just birds. If I come across an old barn that I have never seen before, that, too, feels so good.

Oops, thought I had finished with owls and hoar frost scenes, at least for now, unless I go for another drive sometime. Then I suddenly wondered what had happened to Snowy Owl #2 that I had photographed on 21 January 2019. Discovered that I hadn't finished going through the last few of my photos from that day. Only got an unpleasantly blurry shot of owl #3. Today, I had really been hoping to start on Day 9 of our trip to Ontario and Quebec in May 2018. However, I can start on these photos now that I have finished with recent, local images. I have a deadline that I am really, really hoping I can keep to, but we'll see. Day 9 shouldn't have all that many photos, as my friends and I went for a local walk in Tadoussac and then a new walk the far side of Tadoussac. Later in the day, we stayed "home" and took photos of birds that came to friend Anne's garden. Also today, I had planned on going for a morning walk with friends. Before going to bed very late last night, I could hear what must have been ice pellets hitting against my windows. Looking up at a street light, I saw blowing snow and strong wind. Set my alarm clocks, hoping that the weather would have improved by this morning. When I saw that it was just as bad, I quickly climbed back into bed and went back to sleep. Most unpleasant weather. Anyone who went out in it must have been crazy!

Oops, thought I had finished with owls and hoar frost scenes, at least for now, unless I go for another drive sometime. Then I suddenly wondered what had happened to Snowy Owl #2 that I had photographed on 21 January 2019. Discovered that I hadn't finished going through the last few of my photos from that day. Only got an unpleasantly blurry shot of owl #3. Today, I had really been hoping to start on Day 9 of our trip to Ontario and Quebec in May 2018. However, I can start on these photos now that I have finished with recent, local images. I have a deadline that I am really, really hoping I can keep to, but we'll see. Day 9 shouldn't have all that many photos, as my friends and I went for a local walk in Tadoussac and then a new walk the far side of Tadoussac. Later in the day, we stayed "home" and took photos of birds that came to friend Anne's garden. Also today, I had planned on going for a morning walk with friends. Before going to bed very late last night, I could hear what must have been ice pellets hitting against my windows. Looking up at a street light, I saw blowing snow and strong wind. Set my alarm clocks, hoping that the weather would have improved by this morning. When I saw that it was just as bad, I quickly climbed back into bed and went back to sleep. Most unpleasant weather. Anyone who went out in it must have been crazy!