Day of the Owls

So... this is my first attempt at blogging. It was inspired by the Most Amazing Day about a month ago in which I saw not one... not two... but three species of owls! That I find this amazing tells you something about me: I'm nuts about animals, and that obsession carries through into my profession as an artist because, as you'll see by my profile, the art I make is all about animals and birds. Therefore, a three-owl day is pretty special to me and it's one I won't soon forget, particularly so given I've only seen owls in the wild a handful of times till now. Just seeing one species in a day would be pretty spectacular, but to see three is truly amazing.

My camera is an important tool in my art practice. I use it to record my bird and animal encounters, and subsequently this photographic record provides me with very personal subject matter. I'm a stickler for making art that has a personal connection - it's an absolute "must" as far as I'm concerned if the art is going to reflect the soul of its maker. Happily this means my blog will be rich in photographic images (all of which are, by the way, protected by copyright).

Getting back to the Most Amazing Day, it started with a drive to Boundary Bay in search of snowy owls which are wintering in this more-southerly-than-normal region for reasons best known to the owls themselves. Nestled among the driftwood between the dyke and the shoreline were perhaps two dozen of these beatiful feathered creatures. I took literally hundreds of photos but here are a couple that I think best sum up the experience.

While observing these striking birds, I heard a little squawk behind me and there, to my delight, was yet another species: a short-eared owl. In fact I spotted not one, but two of them hunting in the field behind the dyke.

There were other birds to be seen on that eventful day, including eagles, herons and the like, but this day was for the owls. And to my continued amazement, it didn't end there. After heading home I set out with my collie for a walk that took us past a local ravine. There, posing quietly on a slender branch was a beautiful barred owl who was gracious enough to say put while I ran home for my camera.

And thus concludes my first blog entry. I hope you enjoyed sharing this Amazing Day with me. At some point in the (hopefully) not-so-distant future you will likely see images of the art that results from this wonderful day's experiences.

I'm not sure how frequently I'll be blogging, but I'm sure I'll have something interesting to share every so often and that you'll get to know a bit about my life as an artist and the creatures who inspire me.

Till next time...