How to Photograph Wild Owls

[@johnshaft5613]

Great video! I have been watching/photographing owls most of my life, and have a couple of observations: I'm in the USA, where we have a LOT of barn owls, and I wanted to say I have NEVER seen one active/hunting in the daylight. They are absolutely nocturnal over here. Same with long eared owls. I am wondering what makes their behavior different in the UK..?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Very interesting. It can vary from country. I am not sure to be honest. They are mostly nocturnal here, but I'd say quite commonly seen at dawn and dusk. It could be food supply. If they can't get enough food at night they may hunt in the day - perhaps our fickle weather means they have to hunt more in the day?

[@dougedwards7570]

GREAT following on the flight scenes - wow!

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Very kind of you Doug. Not bad considering I'm looking at a flip screen that I can barely see in bright sunshine.!

[@RobertDuttonFineArt]

Excellent, naturally filled as if we a re there with you video with lots of useful information. the music when you put the hood and gloves on was just perfect! Smiled all the way through. Keep them coming just like that. We really enjoyed it all.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Thanks. I like this style of shooting - I don't think there's much of it , nature-wise, on KZbin. Yeah, I thought the music fit pretty well! Glad you enjoyed it Rob

[@rocklobster3333]

Your video makes me miss summer

[@shuttersound69]

Brilliant, informative and well edited, I really enjoyed watching it, keep them coming please, thanks for sharing. My local spot seen as I live on the edge of it is cannock chase, meant to have long eared owls there but as yet not seen one, think I need to go out a bit later in the evening. Gary in Staffordshire,

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Thanks for those comments Gary - I really appreciate it. These long eared owls are unusual in that they can be seen whilst it's still light - generally speaking long eared owls are very nocturnal. Think I heard a young one calling the other evening. Could not see it though!

[@Notorious-AP]

Nice

[@yujinlandscapephotography.7787]

Excellent video!! Thank you!! Paul..,

[@11557bexley]

Beautiful video

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Thank you Mike.

[@irena7777777]

Great video. Please do more round that area. Looks beautiful

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hi there. I will certainly do more in the future. Yes, it is quite beautiful - particularly in spring.

[@irena7777777]

Paul Miguel Photography I want a decent camera to take pictures of owls etc. Are they really expensive?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

It really depends. The lens is more important as it needs to be good in low light for flight shots.

[@tarjei99]

You can increase the chances by feeding birds in the area. Rodents are likely to feed on the scraps and multiply. If the owl takes off with pray, then there is a nest. Otherwise, no nest.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

It's a good idea and something I have though of myself.

[@wanderingwolf2242]

Excellent video mate...really enjoyed it thoroughly on your quest for the Barnie. Even better with the LEO sighting too. Only recently found your channel and you fill a gap. There is not many videos of wildlife photographers in the UK out in the field. Excellent mate....keep it up! ATB

[@markharris5771]

Wandering Wolf 2 I agree with everything you say, I think Paul's channel is going to grow into being a top British nature photography channels on KZbin. I don't know if you've seen any of Simon Booth's videos, but he is another nature photographer who makes excellent and accurately informative videos covering all things nature.

[@wanderingwolf2242]

Excellent Mark. I have just watched two of Simons videos and could not agree more, I have subbed him also. So many thanks for the recommendation, much appreciated. Both make vids that I have been wanting to watch! :-)

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Thanks so much - it means a lot. Really interesting reading your comments because I was thinking of making these types of videos and when I looked, as you say, there seemed to be nobody (certainly in UK) doing this really. So yes, hopefully I've filled a gap.!

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Wow, that's really kind of you Mark. I'll keep trying my best. Plenty of ideas - I want to concentrate on wildlife.. so it will always be a challenge! I found Simon Booth's videos too and really enjoy them. I think his filming and editing is top notch too.

[@nialltrainor4923]

Wow, your brilliant mate. I’m new to wildlife photography and you just make me want to get out👍🏻

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

That's very kind indeed. Thanks for the support Niall.

[@RobertDuttonFineArt]

Got any links to 400mm wild barn owl photos you've taken? I so miss being out in the field with my camera. My paints in the field will be put away at some point this year and when they do I'll give you a hoot! (HA!).

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

I'll try dig some out. Hope to catch up with you later.

[@timscanlanphotography]

Hi Paul. Love this video. How on earth did you resist the urge to take some stills? Better man than me !! I'm slowly working my way through your back catalogue and learning loads. Massive thanks for sharing.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

I only really had one close enough chance for stills Tim - although to be honest when I'm vlogging, despite trying to do both stills and video, I always give priority to the video side. Nice feeling knowing you are looking through my other videos - my favourite is probably the Bird Photography one with the herons..! Thanks for your support Tim.

[@davidnguyen5028]

Paul you look ridiculously funny with your camo mask. Lol.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Yep, pretty ridiculous. Get ready... cause there's another one coming soon!

[@ElijahXMedia]

Pretty awesome, what time were you out there? I live out in the suburbs next to farms, and theres a ton of fields like this near me. I think ima go out and look for some because I've seen/heard a couple at night.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Thanks for watching Elijah. In this video I was out around 7.30pm and stayed until almost dark. Sometimes I see owls whilst the sun is still up.. other days I don't see them til almost completely dark. Good luck!

[@thementaldetectorist756]

Where did you record this video and what is it called

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hi Joe. This is on private farmland so I can't say exactly where. It's on the outskirts of Leeds.

[@TheYorkshireTourist]

great video paul, glad i found your channel! that looks like ledsham if I'm not mistaken?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hey, thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. It's actually towards Bramham.

[@TheYorkshireTourist]

Paul Miguel Photography ah ok, looks fairly similar and with fairburn ings close by I thought it would be.

[@AikoSukdolak]

Great vid again! I know where a Barn owl is nesting in the village I gew up (they allready nested in that old farm house when I was a kid and this year they finally came back) - When I visit there I can hear them squeeking and sometimes see them flying in the night. But sadly never saw them In daylight... not in the morning nor the evening hours. any idea where i can find an photograph them hounting? And do you think its possible to photograph them in the nesting place without disturb them to much (if the farmer let me see them )?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Glad you enjoyed it. You are lucky to know of nesting Barn Owls. What region are they in ?

[@AikoSukdolak]

Its a small Village a few kilometers in the west of Hannover (Germany), surrounded by agriculture and a few paddocks - maybe I should look there!? They nesting in a "nesting box" what do you think about photographing them inside?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

The first thing is to check it they are protected. In the UK they are protected by law and cannot be photographed near the nest without a license. It may be different in Germany. If you do photograph them I would introduce a hide slowly and check they are still comfortable. The main thing is not to disturb them and affect breeding success. Maybe ask the landowner first - they may know some information. Good luck!

[@derekbennett5169]

No you can't photograph nesting owl in the nesting site unless u hold licence to do so

[@derekbennett5169]

@@PaulMiguelPhotography I see your vids great to watch, I have a wildlife feeding station setup in local woodland near my home where I do photography of wild birds, mostly I see the usual ones but hoping to get falcons and woodpeckers this spring by moving locations do u know how best to photograph green woodpeckers as that is on my to dolist

[@asiangamer2867]

Nice pls make a video how to spot a great horned owl i spot one but it was far away i want tonsee it like im close to it so pls make a video of that please and thank you

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

That would be great. Unfortunately I have to go a long way for those owls! Maybe I can make another video on my local owls.

[@WopArse]

Have you a link to your camo hood please. Thanks

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hi. I think it's a Jack Pyke mesh balaclava - they make various stuff for shooting, stalking.

[@carperpaul]

Enjoyable video Paul, but it’s a short eared owl, not a long eared owl, still good to watch, thanks for sharing.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hi Paul. Thanks for watching. The first time I saw these birds I assumed it was a short eared owl. Since then I have had many encounters including watching them perched and seeing chicks. It is definitely Long eared, Asio otus. The main giveaway is the eye colour.

[@carperpaul]

Hi Paul, I am still not convinced sorry, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpDdoHWZiNeLkM0

[@messylaura]

have you tried ann summers for a bunny suit?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Nah. Can’t go in there. I got banned...

[@kevintraynor4508]

If not many sightings of barn owl it probably was because female was on eggs incubating.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Yes probably Kevin. This site is weird. They go through the process of egg laying I'm sure, then some years they don't seem to rear young - I know the nest site and I don't always hear or see the youngsters. I think I would because they're pretty noisy!!

[@mryou3720]

I live on the outskirts of Leeds I'm off looking

[@drummingspain207]

Nice place to live, but don’t be too hard on the way you look! lol

[@kjefferyfishing-12]

Paul that is actually a short eared owl from what I can see

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hi Kyle. I originally thought the same, for a while. But I have seen the owls so close that I can confirm it is definitely long eared - they have more orange eyes rather than yellow and tend to be darker on the back too. It is quite unusual in this habitat but they were there for years. Haven't seen one this year though.

[@2010emaben]

So you put on the camo net balaclava, but still have a bright red camera strap???

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Hi Ed. Fair point - I wouldn't recommend a bright red strap - just all I had to hand at the time. That said, I do think a lot of birds react more to the whites of our hands and faces (if Caucasian ).

[@Vacublaster1]

"Thistles and nettles all over the place", try Thistles, snakes, nettles, snakes, leeches and snakes

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Fair play - my moaning was a bit pathetic.

[@fgb3126]

The music along about 2 mins. is really unnecessary. I much prefer listening to the natural sounds of your footfalls, the swish of the grasses, the wind/breeze, and other natural sounds. This gives me a feeling of being with you. Whereas when you introduce music as a background sound it takes away from that.