As I arrived on the beach, stylishly outfitted with ice cleats and 2 pairs of pants, wrapped up from head to toe, I was immediately rewarded with spectacular sunrise light on the ice formations that are starting to form at the shore.

Two mute swans quietly fed in the shallow water.   Swans live just off the ice edge each winter, and I wonder how they can manage such a harsh existence and still look so calm and graceful.

At this point the ice volcanoes that Presqu’ile are famous for are just beginning to form.   It will take successive days of wind and waves to gradually build them up to the spectacular heights they have achieved in previous years.

Looking south from Owen Point, Gull Island lies across an area of rough ice, frozen absolutely solid and pretty easy to cross with the ice cleats.   Often this time of year one can see thick lake effect clouds hanging to the south as well even though it remains sunny in Brighton.

Here’s what some of the ice formations looked like on my crossing to Gull Island.

Same rock, different light.   There was steam coming off the water as it was still much warmer than the air.

Small flocks of waterfowl feed in the shallow waters around the island and fly away instantly when I approach.  Lots of waterfowl means good eating for Snowy Owls.   And of course you know that is why I was really walking out there in the first place.

As I rounded the bend on the island there was the unmistakeable form of a snowy owl, sitting up on a wooden frame of an old duck blind.   This is the first Snowy Owl I have seen this winter.   This year has not been a big year for snowies coming south from the arctic, but some usually do.  I just had to wait a little bit longer than usual this winter.

What a beauty!  This is a young one, based on all the dark barring.   This photo is cropped heavily, as I gave the owl lots of space as not to disturb it.   When I am photographing owls I usually sit down on the ground a distance away from them and stay as still as possible.   Then I get to watch them behave naturally.   This owl barely even looked my way, even when the log I was sitting on started to slip down the little hill I was sitting on, causing me to tumble towards the shore.

Eventually the owl preened its feet a bit, pooped, and then flew off to spend some time on the ice.   Once the lake freezes over more it will be increasingly hard to spot the owls.

Can you believe it, just sitting out on the ice like that?   Well that is where I left this beauty, and I was back in my car by 9:00 AM.   Great start to the morning.

Happy winter!

Thanks for visiting.

The post Good Morning Gull Island appeared first on Leslie Abram Photography.

It’s been another great winter for Snowy Owls here, and treks to the islands out in Lake Ontario to see these mysterious beauties never fail to reveal something special.

Sleepy Snowy Owl on Wolfe Island

Why do Snowy Owls like islands so much?   A few reasons.   First of all the islands out in Lake Ontario are flat, with many open areas like the tundra the Snowy Owls like so much in the north.   Also, food availability is high, since the islands seem to have high populations of voles and mice on land, and ducks out in the water.

In our area, Wolfe Island, Amherst Island, and Gull Island have all been excellent for finding Snowies.

Long staying Gull Island Snowy Owl heading out over the lake

Early in the winter, trips out to Gull Island at Presqu’ile Park allowed me to watch this beautiful, reliable Snowy Owl go about its daily routines.

Hello!

Snowy Owls arrive at Presqu’ile around mid November, and are fairly easy to spot against the backdrop of grasses until Lake Ontario becomes covered in ice.   At that time the owls tend to sit out on the ice far away and are much harder to spot.

My friend photographing Snowies on Wolfe Island

Later in the winter Wolfe Island and Amherst Island are great bets for seeing Snowy Owls. Both Islands require a drive towards Kingston, and a short ferry ride.    Those trips are great to do with friends, to make all the driving more enjoyable.

Not sure what this is?

Wolfe Island- A Blue owl?

We made a couple of really interesting finds on Wolfe Island.   First of all, we saw this owl with blue all over its wings.   Upon investigation, we found out that “airport owls” – ones who hang around at airports, are often marked with blue before they are captured, banded and released in another area.   So although all of us thought there was something wrong with our cameras, that really was a blue owl we were seeing!

Owl and deer

Another thing we found was an owl sitting on a fencepost right by a herd of deer, totally unperturbed.   Even more astounding was when the owl stayed put as the deer leaped over the fence one by one, right past it.

No big deal

Rooftop ornamentation

Yes, it’s what you think

Amherst Island, where owls roost on the top of people’s houses it seems, is closer to me than Wolfe Island, so I made it out there quite a few times this winter.

Look what’s by the ferry landing!

I love Amherst Island!

Hunting from a fencepost

The best time to go there to see owls is early morning, or the couple of hours before sunset.

Little white lump

The rest of the day the owls tend to hunker down on the ground and are difficult to spot unless they happen to be near the road.

Trying to camouflage…

But if you get there at the right time of day, you will certainly be treated to a great show- owls hunting, screeching at each other, even fighting brief arial fights for territory.

Early morning hunt

Snowy Owls will be around roughly from mid November until the end of March each year.    If you have never tried looking for them, grab a friend, and head to the islands!

Happy Spring!

The post Owls and Islands appeared first on Leslie Abram Photography.

This morning I got up early and headed down to Presqu’ile Park for a hike out to Gull Island.

Right now, Gull Island looks like this.  Required footwear for the hike varies, but today it consisted of tall rubber boots with ice cleats strapped on to them.    A very fashionable ensemble.

Hiking out the the island I am never alone, as the lake is teeming with waterfowl such as these little Long Tailed Ducks.

And mallards….woah, look out behind you!!!!

Each year, a female Snowy makes Gull Island her home.   I don’t really know if it is always the same one.    But I do know that many Snowy Owls enjoy winter territories around the Great Lakes each year.    It’s the easy access to waterfowl that keeps them coming back.

Today I initially found the Queen sitting on a duck blind.   Isn’t it nice of the park staff to set these up for her?    She checked me out, then fell back to sleep.

Snowy Owls are wild, and do not tolerate people if we get too close.   I have learned to stay far back, stay still, and then the owl will just go about its business instead of flying away.    My long lens helps, as does heavily cropping photos when I get home.

I always take a plastic garbage bag in my backpack so I can sit down on it and wait, and watch, without soaking my pants.   Eventually the owl took off right over me to go hunt over the lake.

She flew back to the island and landed on the “Access Prohibited” sign, then gave me a little wink.   OK, I am anthropomorphizing here.   Again.

After swooping down over the island looking for rodents she landed back up on a post.  I love how her feathers were blowing in the wind, and how I can see the fuzz on her face when she turns sideways.  Once again, I waited to see what would happen.

Off she flew, right over me! What a beauty! New Year’s Eve is always kind of like Thanksgiving for me.   I look back on the year, and think about all the things I am thankful for.

I am so fortunate that I live in such a beautiful part of the world, where I can visit wild creatures like the Snowy Owl who fill me with such awe.   I can’t think of a better way to spend the last day of 2015.

Thank you for sharing my journey with me, and Happy New Year!

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The post Queen of the Island: My Favourite Snowy Owl appeared first on Leslie Abram Photography.

Welcome to Gull Island.

Gull Island in November

This windy, treeless little island in Lake Ontario sits just off the south shore of Presqu’ile Provincial Park, in Brighton, Ontario.  It is a haven for wildlife.   Discovering who is there during  different seasons of the year is what makes Gull Island fascinating.

Gull Island, March 2014

In March, thousands of gulls and terns return to Gull Island to breed and nest.   Gull Island is closed to human visitors from March through September to protect these massive  colonies of breeding birds.  Last March there was still a significant snow cover on the island, and the lake was still frozen,  but the gulls returned and noisily staked out their territories nonetheless.

Caspian Terns in Love

Caspian Terns, the largest terns in the world,  nest on Gull Island.   Gazing out towards Gull Island, I found the tern’s courtship activities so fascinating I didn’t realize two of them were dive bombing me from above until it was too late.   I bid a hasty retreat!  When I looked up information about these terns when I got home I learned that they have gouged people’s faces by diving at them. Oops…

Hudsonian Godwit

Sanderling

In spring and fall, shorebirds feed on the algae beds around Gull Island.  They are often so intent on eating that close up views are easily possible. This fall, I saw my first Hudsonian Godwit, as well as some beautiful Sanderlings, and many more.  The rare and elusive Purple Sandpiper shows up on Gull Island in the late fall most years.   No photo here, as I have yet to see one.   For more on shorebirds, see my previous post: Spectacular Shorebirds 

My One and Only Ever Short Eared Owl

In early November, Short-Eared Owls may stop by to feed on the voles that live on the island.  This is the only sighting of a Short-Eared Owl I have ever made.   It was in November, three years ago, on my first crossing to Gull Island.   I thought wearing rubber boots would be sufficient to wade out there, but was dead wrong, as the wind and the waves filled my boots up with water within seconds.   Not to worry, I just dumped out my boots, saw this beautiful owl, then went to the tea room at the annual “Christmas at Presqu’ile” craft show and devoured warm rum cake and coffee.

Unidentified Wading Bird

Getting to Gull Island is part of the fun!   In the early autumn you can just roll up your pants and wade across.   Bringing a change of shoes is always a good idea.

January

In the winter when the lake freezes, the crossing to Gull Island looks more like Antarctica.  Wading?  Unwise.

Ice Volcanoes

Ice “volcanoes” form on Lake Ontario, caused by wave action and heaving ice.   On windy days, the water sprays right up through these volcanoes and into the air.  I have seen foxes and coyotes running around near these ice volcanoes as I cross over to the island.  So far they have given me a wide berth.

New Year’s Day, 2014

Spectacular scenery, but wear your ice cleats!

Queen of the Island

So now let me introduce you to the real stars of Gull Island, as far as I am concerned, the Snowy Owls!

Off to Go Hunting

These beautiful hunters consistently show up each year to spend the winter around the offshore islands at Presqu’ile.   There are voles to hunt, as well as abundant waterfowl.

Long Tailed Ducks Ride the Waves

Long-Tailed Ducks are common in the open waters near Gull Island.   I have seen Snowy Owls dive down to the water to try to catch them.

Snowy Owl with Prey

Last winter I saw Snowy Owls with Common Mergansers they had captured on 3 separate occasions.

Really?

Sometimes, when I am standing warm and dry on the mainland, I look out at Gull Island and ponder “Should I, or shouldn’t I?”   The answer is always  “YES-GO!”

Gull Island is full of surprises.  It would be terrible to miss out!

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