Owl Season
Is there even such a thing?
According to Google AI, “Owl season in Southern Ontario peaks during winter (December–March),..” and Bird Canada says, “In Canada, the late fall and winter seasons are prime time to see many owl species…”
Many other wildlife photographers and I will definitely agree. And this owl season was one to remember! With a predicted owl irruption for the 2025-26 winter, I was hopeful this season would be better than previous ones. And it sure was.
Of the 11 owl species known to Ontario, this season I saw seven of them. Including last year’s amazing Northern Hawk Owl sighting, I’ve actually seen eight of them in the wild. There is still time left for the remaining three. So, fingers crossed.
This owl season started out like previous ones with Barred Owls (Strix varia) and the rather predictable Long-eared Owls (Asio otus). Both are very cool and fun to see. Barred owls are interesting, as they are not fully nocturnal and will often hunt during the day. The barred owl is also one of my favourites and has a “true” owl hoot that is pretty amazing to hear.
Then came my first-ever photo opportunity with the tiny robin-sized Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) in the pouring rain. There was an opening just barely big enough to see this cutie who sat patiently on its morning catch, a tasty vole. It was dark, cold, and wet. It was also amazing to see!
Then came a trip out to western Ontario in an ice storm to see my favourite in-flight owl, the Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus). Total driving time was over 5 hours to photograph for about an hour. I’d say time well spent.
Over the holidays, I caught word of an Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio). On a blizzardy day in late December, along with my very understanding wife, I drove an hour to find this little fella (or gal). A small, nocturnal owl, also about the size of a robin, spends a lot of its day in tree cavities and is perfectly camouflaged! I would go on to see this same owl a few more times, but always in heavy snow.
As challenging as the Screech was, it was nothing compared to my first-ever male Snowy Owls (Nyctea scandiaca). I saw them on more than one occasion, and none of them were good. Dense, and I mean DENSE, fog or snow made photographing an almost completely white owl impossible. I shared some video of the “ice fog” day—yes, I said “ice fog”—and all you can make out are the eyes. So, no photos.
Then came the best owl experience ever. The Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa), a massive, silvery-grey bird known as the world's longest owl, I saw on numerous occasions. Known as The Phantom of the North, this owl has eluded me on two visits to Grand Teton NP and many missed opportunities the previous owl season. The first time I saw the owl, a subadult male, it was one of the coldest days of the winter at -28°C (-18°F). Each time I saw this awesome owl, it was exhilarating and an absolute honour to witness its greatness.
Below are some of my favourite Great Grey Owl photos.
To see all of this Owl Season’s photos click the link below.
If you are enjoying the in the field blog series, please share and/or join my mailing list. Visit the link below to read past issues.