Canada (Ontario)
Feb 13 2023
female, adult, outside normal range
Ottawa- There have been a few owls reported this winter but they have been extremely difficult to observe. They only become active after sunset and during the day they roost in evergreens like spruce, making them difficult to detect. This shot was taken once it had moved from its roost when the light was failing rapidly. The shots were at a very high ISO at a very low shutter speed on tripod. Even then I barely managed to keep it in focus. The bird was in a wooded area within the suburbs. I made multiple attempts for owls before finally locating this one.
Feb 14 2023
This story sounds like many a time when I went looking in and around Montreal. Sometimes very hard to detect, let alone photograph. Exceptional result given what you mentioned. I just got back from shooting in low-light wooded areas of Colombia, and the high ISO helped but is tricky to work with afterwards.
It is a common issue with owls that only show after sunset. We appreciate working with Northern Hawk Owls when they are around.