From Andrew Hunt

January 2025: Seeing and photographing this beautiful and Northern Hawk Owl became an adventure in persistence for me. First informed about it on Sunday as it was rarely seen in these parts which caused huge excitement in the local birding community, we went every day for periods of 30-90 mins each time, but dipped on it.

Finally, yesterday we were able to spend the morning waiting and arrived at 8am. The weather was inclement and rain was in the forecast for the late morning. We waited for over three hours and need to leave at 11.15am. Nothing! With comments from fellow birders like “First day this week it hasn’t been seen”

Then finally at 11.03am it was observed perched on a pole. I ran over and it decided to take flight past me and despite the weather, with a flat background flew past a tree which gave me good contrast for this picture. I was super happy! We drove off, smiling from ear to ear. What an amazing owl! And as we left… it started to rain.

Delta, British Columbia, Canada