One misstep or mis-perch and this northern hawk owl might become a feather duster as it precariously sits on what looks like a very uncomfortable perch. It was about a year ago that I took this photo up in the Yukon and in the next week I will be passing by this spot on another Alaskan, Yukon and BC adventure. Hopefully I see a few more of these amazing birds along the way.
Just north of the little community of Burwash Landing is an area known for Northern hawk owls. True to it’s reputation, I spotted at least five different owls within a kilometer. This particular one was very tolerant of me and allowed me to slowly approach without being disturbed. Once I was in a good spot for photos I sat and waited for when it took off. Obviously, birds are much more likely to fly away from a person if they feel at all threatened so keeping far enough away to not disturb them is key. Also working in my favor on this day was that another hawk owl flew behind me and landed in a nearby tree. The first owl started calling and repositioned itself on the branch facing me. I made sure I had it positioned in the frame with a high shutter speed and within seconds the owl launched off the perch and flew directly overhead.
Banff National Park
Owen Slater Photography 