The graceful Snowy Owl banks a hard turn on its hunt for prey. The owl with has keen sense of hearing, listening for the most faint noises. The owl can hear the scurrying sounds of prey from far off in the distance and pin point where to strike, day or night.

I can’t even begin to describe how this image all came together. I went out this morning to try and capture some snowy owls along the coast. I haven’t had much luck the past 2 seasons but today that all changed. I arrived to find other photographers on scene and a snowy in position on a sand dune about 200 feet away. I captured a few shots and the light was all wrong. I decided to walk back towards the parking lot and shoot from the bathhouse, still 200 feet away. I had just barely finished setting up when to my surprise the owl leaped into flight…right at me. I began tracking the bird, its eyes staring straight down the barrel of the lens. As I continued to shoot, the bird flew directly over my head and perched itself on the bathhouse directly behind me. The owl again gazed in my direction and determined I was not a threat and began to clean its feathers as I slowly turned around to enjoy its presence. Today was a complete success and many other images are to come.

After delivering a meal to the chicks, it’s off to find another. I have been observing this eagle pair for several years now and they are always entertaining to watch. This time of the year they are back and forth to the nest to feed their young. Catching events like this are common and I’m glad they let me observe.

This summer I have seen several of my tree living friends around the yard but this one was most unique. This Gray Tree Frog was motionless in a small clump of mud near the base of a maple tree. I almost didn’t spot it until I noticed a slight difference in color. Originally it’s eyes were closed and as the sun began to set its eyes appeared. Unbothered, the frog allowed me to capture a few images and be on my way.

I have been wandering through the woods behind my house the past couple months looking for this guy to no avail. I knew there were a couple back there as I can hear them from time to time hooting. On Monday I was passing through the kitchen when I looked out the window to this Barred Owl perched looking and listening for its next meal. We were able to spend about 20 minutes together before he took off to try somewhere new.

This past spring I spotted these two kits playing in the backyard of a local neighborhood. They didn’t mind my presence as I kept my distance. The experience brought me great joy and appreciation for my four legged friends.

Silent hunters, the snowy owl makes almost no sound while in flight. You have to keep an eye on them because if you look away they can fly off and you wouldn’t even know.

The Bald Eagle is a sign of a healthy and strong environment. They are powerful raptors that predominately feed on fish. They can be found throughout most of North America in environments with abundant fish populations. Along the West Coast, in Washington, their numbers are higher than the average. On this day, I saw this beautiful bird perched perfectly in the tree keeping a lookout for its next meal to swim by.