A Wildlife Adventure Full of Surprises: Eagles, Owls, and Soulful Moment

Getting up early on a sunny Sunday morning almost feels like a guaranteed ticket to a great wildlife photography day. Almost. Because as any wildlife photographer knows, nature doesn’t always get the memo.

I started my adventure at a local marina, full of hope — and right away, I spotted two bald eagles! I quickly turned the car around, found a safe place to park, and grabbed my camera. They were a bit far away, surrounded by trees, but I was thrilled to see them.

Nearby, a few ravens were making a ruckus, looking very much like they were guarding a nest. Their deep, throaty croaks rolled through the marina, a sound so different from the sharper caws of crows that once you hear it, you never forget it. Ravens are larger than crows, with thicker beaks, shaggy throat feathers, and a wedge-shaped tail that shows when they fly — they carry themselves like the clever rulers of the sky.

 Did you know? Ravens aren’t just smart; they’re hilarious too. They’ve been spotted playing games, sliding down snowy rooftops, and even mimicking human voices when they’re feeling mischievous. It’s like they’ve got a secret life most of us never notice. Hearing their wild conversations overhead felt like a very promising start to the day.

I wandered back to the marina, hoping to photograph some moon jellyfish — but they were nowhere to be found. It would have been easy to feel disappointed. After all, I had photographed Great Blue Herons before, and it wasn't what I originally came looking for. But as I turned to leave, I was stopped in my tracks. There he was — standing quietly along the shoreline, tall and regal in the early light. It felt like lightning struck me — in that moment, nothing else existed except for me and the heron. I took a deep breath of the crisp morning air and let go of any expectations, choosing instead to simply be present with him.

He froze, gave me a slow side-eye, and seemed to say, 'You can stay — just don't mess up the vibe.

The heron shifted his weight and kept glancing upward, both of us hearing geese calling somewhere nearby, though none came into view. I wondered what he was thinking, so still and so aware, as the morning unfolded around us. It was a quiet, powerful connection — a reminder that even when things don't go exactly as planned, nature always has its own way of offering magic, if you're open enough to receive it.

Next, I headed to a local urban park. As I drove through, it seemed deserted — all the ducks had vanished, likely off nesting somewhere. I was about to leave when I spotted him — Shark Feather, the resident bald eagle who loves to perch on the park’s tallest totem pole.

As I watched, I smiled to myself — this was Shark Feather, a local bald eagle I had affectionately named for his fierce, sleek presence in the sky. Like a shark, but with feathers. In today’s encounter, he had a feather stuck right in his nostril, which only made him look even more unimpressed with the world. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a leftover from a vigorous preening session — or maybe a remnant of his latest lunch.

And judging by the look he gave all of us humans staring up at him, if he could have spoken, I imagine he would’ve said something like: "Keep staring, peasants. I remain fabulous."

And just beyond, a family of four deer: a very pregnant mama and her three youngsters from last year, grazing peacefully in a field of blooming camas flowers. The sight filled my heart and my camera with joy.

The deer were happily grazing in a field of Camas flowers, which were once an important food source for Indigenous peoples — and clearly, the deer know a good buffet when they see one too! As browsers, deer feed on a variety of plants, shrubs, and flowers, acting like quiet, four-legged gardeners wherever they roam.

You saw nothing. These flowers were like this when we got here.

I was already feeling satisfied with the morning when the real magic happened. From the trees nearby, I heard it — the soft call of two barred owls talking to each other! I'd only photographed a barred owl once before, so I was beyond excited. They were in a perfect spot for my 600mm lens. I rushed back to the car, grabbed my tripod, and set up as quietly as possible. It was the perfect opportunity to finally test my new NEEWER 7" camera field screen — and it worked amazingly well!

Did you know?

Unlike many owls that hoot just one simple note, barred owls are famous for their distinctive call that sounds like they're saying, "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?" It's one of the easiest owl calls to recognize!

The barred owl knew I was there. It knew people were passing by on the walking path, voices and footsteps carrying through the trees. But it didn’t flinch. It simply chose to tune out the world and tune into itself — wrapped in its own quiet rhythm, untouched by the noise around it. Watching it, I couldn’t help but wonder if true wisdom is knowing when to listen to the world — and when to simply listen to your own soul.

Oscar, the barred owl (as I’ve affectionately named him), sat watching the squirrels play with a bewildered look, like he was questioning all of their life choices. I couldn’t help but laugh — it was as if he couldn’t quite decide whether to be annoyed, entertained, or just pretend he didn’t see the chaos at all.

Keep your eyes peeled — a YouTube video of my amazing barred owl encounter is on the way! Trust me, you’re going to want a front-row seat for this one.

While I was focused on the owls, I also managed to snap a few photos of Chestnut-backed Chickadees feeding right out of my Aunt’s hand. Neither of us could believe it! She was just reaching into the seed bag to grab a few nuts for the squirrels when — whoosh — a chickadee zipped in and landed right on her hand. She figured, why not hold still and see what happened next?

Sure enough, the little adventurer picked through the seeds like he was browsing a menu. It was one of those moments where you can’t help but laugh and marvel — when a wild animal decides you’re trustworthy enough to be part of their morning snack run.

And what kind of photo do you think I also got? You guessed it — the classic bird butt shot! It’s practically a rite of passage for any wildlife photographer. Stay tuned, because I’m planning a whole blog post dedicated to my growing (and hilarious) collection of bird butt photos. Trust me, I have plenty to share!

And just as quickly as he landed, he grabbed his nut and dashed off — a true little dine-and-dasher of the forest!

And you know that feeling when you think you’re being watched? Well, I turned around to find a peacock and several curious squirrels gathering around me, almost as if they were cheering me on. The peacock and the squirrel gave me a look that could only mean one thing: "You’ve enjoyed the show... now where’s our nut fee?" Honestly, fair enough — when you’re in their kingdom, you pay in peanuts.

On my way back to the car, I spotted the perfect subject to test out my Laowa manual macro lens — and let me tell you, it was a struggle!

While exploring a fallen log, I stumbled across something amazing — a cluster of tiny, pearl-like eggs glued right to the surface. These are most likely moth or beetle eggs, carefully laid so that when the larvae hatch, they’ll have plenty of decaying wood, leaves, and bark to explore and feed on. It’s a perfect little hidden world happening right under our noses — a reminder that even a fallen log can be a living city if you look close enough.

And then....just a few steps from the egg cluster, I found this tiny reddish-brown beetle — probably a wood or fungus-loving species — bustling around the surface. Whether he was laying eggs, checking on the next generation, or just grabbing a snack, he fit perfectly into this hidden world of life, growth, and quiet industry happening right underfoot.

Nestled on the same log, I stumbled across these strange, bubble-like structures — the fruiting bodies of a slime mold called Wolf’s Milk. At first glance, they almost look like tiny pink jelly beans growing out of the wood, but they’re actually something much cooler — a living, shape-shifting organism at a special stage of its life.

Did you know? Wolf’s Milk isn’t a fungus — it’s actually more closely related to amoebas! When fresh, these pink bubbles are filled with a bright, gooey paste that later dries out and cracks open to release spores into the forest.

Pardon the slight blur — I'm still learning how to master my Laowa macro lens! Every shot is a step forward, and honestly, the adventure of learning is half the fun.

But there I was, sitting on the forest path near a log, birds singing above, bees buzzing by, squirrels darting around — and I kept reminding myself: This is a learning opportunity. Look at what you’re seeing — the tiny wonders most people walk right past.

It was an incredible, soul-refreshing experience — exactly what I needed before buckling down to study for my upcoming wildlife rehabilitation exam.