Secrets Of The Snowy Owl
How do you trick people into learning about science? NPR’s Skunk Bear (née Adam Cole) asks himself this every day. As one of a few video journalists working in the organization’s audio-centric world, Cole thinks about the world’s big questions and how they can be visually explained in a clever and compelling way — which he does through his delightful, stat-packed short films. He’s looked at the speed of light with Easter peeps, played out earth’s history on a football field, and, earlier this year, trekked along the East Coast and Canada to find a rare and mysterious Arctic owl. We sat down with Adam to hear more about his feather-fueled journey.
Who is Baltimore?
A: Baltimore is a three-year-old snowy owl, born in the arctic, who made his way down into the United States during the largest owl migration in living memory. Scientists rescued him from a dangerous perch at an airport and fitted him with a cutting edge solar-powered transmitter. It’s like a tiny backpack. The data coming in from Baltimore’s transmitter help us understand his mysterious species, and shine a light on the ways humans (often unwittingly) interact with nature.
You tell stories in visual form, while those around you are working in audio. What’s that like? What kind of narratives are you searching for?
A: I’m always looking for stories that: (a) are visually beautiful enough to make people want to watch for the images alone, (b) are weird enough to catch people off guard, ( c) have a strong narrative structure, and (d) open the door to a larger idea or discussion about science. This seemed to have all the elements.
Snowy owls are so striking to look at — and the idea that dozens of them were flying around with these little backpacks is pretty odd. Add in my search for a particular owl and you’ve got a natural quest narrative, and beneath the surface is an opportunity to talk about in the interaction of man and nature. Plus, it got me out of the office.
You produce audio stories, too. Was documenting Baltimore’s journey always meant for video?
A: No, this actually started as a radio piece the year Baltimore was originally captured in 2013. My colleague Meredith Rizzo heard about the birders who were catching and tagging the owls , and she and I went out on one of the trapping trips on Assateague Island with some microphones and cameras. The radio piece covered this first step — the capture — but obviously a sequel was needed when the data started coming in. Meredith’s pictures were so beautiful — it was clear the follow-up needed to be a video.
You were on the road for two weeks. Were you sure you’d find him?
A: We had no idea. As we mentioned in the video — the data was usually a few days old. So we knew that Baltimore was on Amherst Island when we left DC — but spring was coming and we knew he could leave any moment. And once the birds move into the wilds of Canada, they’re usually out of cell range. Their transmitters can’t upload new data at that point, so they become impossible to find. It was a bit nerve-wracking. As it turned out, Baltimore left Amherst two days after we found him.
How did you connect with all the bird lovers who spotted Baltimore?
A: We looked at Baltimore’s route and contacted people who lived near his resting points ]. We also cross referenced his route with sightings recorded on eBird — a website where birders keep very detailed notes on what they saw, where and at what time. We were able to find pictures people had taken of a big white snowy owl at the exact moment Baltimore was there.
Were the inhabitants of Amherst, in Canada, as excited about the snowy owls as they said they were?
A: I think so! They were all very proud of the owls who tended to hang out in their yards. And they were clearly talking about it amongst themselves because we’d often hear, “So-and-so down on such-and-such a road has a big snowy that likes to hang out by his shed.” We had dozens of shots of owl yard decorations and doodads that we couldn’t fit in the film. I will say that snowy owls are kind of a dime a dozen on Amherst. The real birders are much more excited about the rarer species.
Any especially difficult part of making this piece?
A: Trying to be a wildlife videographer. We weren’t used to the long lens. Or the waiting. Also it was cold.
What equipment did you use?
A: Two Canon Mark II’s for a lot of it — but we borrowed my girlfriend’s FS700 for the slow motion.
Adam Cole is a reporter and producer for the Science Desk, where he creates short documentary videos, radio pieces, animations, musical podcast segments, data visualizations, and GIFs about science.
Learn more about the Snowy Owl tracking program called “Project Snowstorm” on NPR’s website.
More questions about the film? Leave them in the comments below.
