Photographing the Hauntingly Beautiful Snowy Owl
Interview with Michelle Guillermin
There’s something magical about spotting a snowy owl, and not just because of Harry Potter’s famous companion ‘Hedwig’. They are captivating and fascinating birds to watch in the wild. Recently, photographer Michelle Guillermin visited Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and managed to capture a snowy owl in stunning photos. We thought we’d ask her a few questions about the experience. Below is the story of her snowy owl sighting.
How did you find the snowy owl?
I am not a serious birder, but enjoy seeing natural phenomena like migrations. I had read that the Snow Geese migrate to Chincoteague annually and decided to use that as an excuse to visit one of my favorite places. I started researching online how best to photograph the Snow Geese and where they generally gathered. Somewhere in this process, I found a post a few years old about a rare Snowy Owl sighting on Chincoteague. My google activities went into overdrive, and I signed up for eBird and some of the mailing lists that they generate, including rare bird sightings in Maryland and Virginia and Snowy Owl sightings nationwide.>> See Chincoteague’s Recent Bird Sightings
By providence, I started seeing that a Snowy had been spotted on Chincoteague a few days before Christmas. Despite a two week bout with the flu, now nothing would stop me from my planned visit to Chincoteague.
By the time I arrived on the island the descriptions of where the owl had been sighted covered several square miles so I prepared myself for a long hike — camera, binoculars, tripod and bean bag in hand. About 100 yards in, the best indicator of a rare bird was seen — photographers with goofy grins on their faces! I settled into the dunes and started clicking away.
Pictured Below: I began chatting with another photographer and he mentioned that she was launching herself into the wind, and we positioned ourselves to catch that launch. Of course, we were looking at Snow Geese when she took off, so we satisfied ourselves with photographing her in a new environment, this time along the highpoint of the beach, with her back to the ocean.
Pictured Below: She moved from the beachfront to perch atop a vacant horseshoe crab shell. The other photographer and I muttered simultaneously, “If she would just land on that driftwood….”, and she obliged!
Do you have any tips for other photographers?
Do your research and let people know that you’re looking. I found out about this lovely creature through an internet search. Now friends are alerting me to other birds who have migrated into the area — closer to home, this time. I’ll be stalking some swans over the next few days.
>> Find birding news near you
Don’t just research recent sightings, but also understand behavior. The ospreys return to a park near my home like clockwork on March 17 each year. In that same area, in the spring, bald eagles lock talons right over an observation deck. I will be waiting!
Most importantly, respect the animals. It is easy to see when they are relaxed and when they become stressed. Invest in binoculars and long camera lenses so you can keep a respectful distance. Do not resort to baiting animals. While you may get a wonderful image, you have now disrupted that animal’s natural process and may have contributed to endangering its life.
And, my favorite, to keep the large birds of prey alive and healthy — find an alternative to mouse poison. Birds of prey ingest animals who have eaten the poison and may die themselves. There are a number of humane alternatives to poison that are quite effective.
>> Check out 8 amazing facts about snowy owls
Pictured Below: The owl was very relaxed. She was sitting on a small rise, just enjoying the afternoon light. I was able to walk in a circle around her (keeping quite a distance) and get images from multiple angles. She was very alert — anytime a new person would walk past, even at great distance, her head would swivel to assess them.
Pictured Below : As the sun set, she moved about more frequently. My favorite image was of her landing in a new spot, just as she was folding her wings back into her body.
Please remember that if you see a snowy owl:
- Keep a safe distance to observe quietly
- Do not play bird calls from your phone or other device.
- Don’t feed the owls.
- Avoid flashes when taking photos.
- Keep noises to a minimum.
- If you find an injured owl: contact your state wildlife agency or local rehabilitator.
- If you find a dead owl: contact your state wildlife agency.
Have an interesting story about wildlife watching on a National Wildlife Refuge? Share with us using #wildliferefuge or tagging the location!
