Barred Owl Chicks At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

Barred Owl chicks waiting to be fed at Miner’s Cove – Canon R7, beanbag, f8, 1/60, ISO 6400, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light

This past Sunday I was tickled to find two Barred Owl chicks on a willow branch at Miner’s Cove waiting to be fed at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

I arrived early and ate my breakfast as I watched the sunrise. Bird song starts at Miner’s Cove before dawn, and it was peaceful. There wasn’t enough light yet to photograph or video them, but I could already see the owl chicks. There were other birds singing and moving around too.

When I had enough light, I started to video the owls, but a few of those owl videos were ruined by the photographer who pulled up behind me in their vehicle. The sounds of that person getting out of their vehicle, setting up their tripod, and walking around on the gravel were easily picked up by my external microphone.

I took a few photos and moved my vehicle forward to have a better view of the Barred Owl chicks. The person behind me walked up behind my vehicle. When I moved my vehicle again, they followed on foot. That happened a total of three times.

At any given point, that photographer on foot could have scared away the owl chicks, which were waiting to be fed, or kept the adults from flying in to feed them.

Their behavior and poor field etiquette could have ruined my opportunity with the young owls that morning, or their own.

Watch on YouTube.

At about 49 seconds into the video, the owl chick in the front became very aware of that person on foot. That young owl turned their head and stared.

I removed several seconds at the end of the video because my external mic picked up the sound of the other photographer walking on the gravel road.

Birds and animals at the refuge are usually less skittish when we photograph from our vehicles. If I pull up on someone in their vehicle using it as a mobile blind in the field, I don’t bail out of my vehicle to get photos.

Why don’t I?

Because that isn’t good field etiquette or ethics.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Barred Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.