Photographing Barn Owls

I’m never more at home or at peace when i’m photographing barn owls hunting their local patch. For me they symbolise a wild world that is fast disappearing before our own eyes. I personally have seen several good barn owl sites destroyed when the builders move in. Once beautiful area of grassy fields become homes for our ever increasing UK population.

However there are more permanent residences for Barn Owls which have stayed the same for hundreds of years, these are now owned mostly by nature conservation groups and are unlikely to change, so its not all bad news.

I generally photographing barn owls in Norfolk, UK, this county has many areas where Barn Owls flourish. Although they are  at the mercy of the spring and winter weather, wet winters can be a disaster for the owls. If they are not in top condition by the breeding season they will not breed. This then has a knock on effect on their overall numbers when road kills and natural deaths are all calculated. But I’m happy to say that the sights I visit seem to be ok and barn owls are still very abundant. 

I only ever photograph barn owls in the winter, I leave them well alone when breeding. In the winter months they start to hunt during daylight hours especially dawn and dusk, but I haver known then to be out all through the day in winter. 

I have had many great experiences photographing and watching the owls and I have enjoyed learning their behaviour traits…

Download my free How to photograph barn owls for further information.