What a wonderful thing it is these days to get out and about. And when I say “out” I truly mean OUT! Out of the house, out of the neighbourhood, out of the city – oh sweet freedom! (I could say a whole lot more about the freedom thing but I don’t go to those places on my photography blog!)
Kellybird and I took a trip down Memory Lane (more like Ragged Ass Road Lane really – and we have a photo of the sign to prove it). we were out looking for snowy owls before they disappear for another year. This was my third or fourth outing this winter and I have been woefully very unlucky. Well, finally, we spotted one! Very briefly sadly but enough to get a couple of (very bad, albeit) photos. No matter, there were other photo ops that presented themselves along the way.
We first took ourselves north and east of YYC to look for our snowies, in an area that one is “guaranteed” to find them. After all it is is called the Snowy Owl Fields. No luck but this run down farmstead captured Kellybird’s interest and we ended up spending a bit of time capturing days of old.Another post processing take on the pens and outbuildingsDid I mention we were there for quite some time? Taking multiple photos from every angle and every focal length? I even have some of just the snow sparkling but those are never as nice as I expect them to be – one day I will capture the magic!I wish we could have gotten a bit closer. Even with our Big Bertha lenses we were just a bit too far away before a truck came along and he decided he had had enough of us, the truck and the approaching grader.
For those interested (and not in the know), yes this is a male. Male Snowy Owls are pure white and often a bit smaller than females. This fellow looked quite large to me compared to others I have seen. Female’s and young male’s feathers are speckled with a black or black/brown. You can see photos that I got in December 2019 a gorgeous female by clicking on this LINK.
We were not the only ones checking out the Snowies on that road! Well, really this handsome guy was more curious about Kellybird and me and all the activity on the road than he was of the owls on the fence.
And then finally we found ourselves on Ragged Ass Road. Kime, we have been here before!
The day did not look like this, in fact it was as dull as dishwater most of the time. I love this vista of our prairies with the mountains as a backdrop though, so I post processed the crap out of it so you could see what I tend to imagine when the day does not turn out to be as pretty as I wish it were.
2 comments
I’m sure you’re disappointed with the owl situation but your countryside shots are great!
Yes, I am pleased with the end result, thank you. I’ll need to try one more time I think as it is time for those beauties to be heading back up to their northern homes. Fingers crossed!
I’m sure you’re disappointed with the owl situation but your countryside shots are great!
Yes, I am pleased with the end result, thank you. I’ll need to try one more time I think as it is time for those beauties to be heading back up to their northern homes. Fingers crossed!