06/20/2025
Sleepy barred owl from a morning walk in the rain 💤
A reminder to give wildlife space to rest, hunt, and raise their young. This owl and its family have created quite a stir in Vancouver with hoards of people coming to see and photograph them. Although close to my house, I have avoided visiting this popular spot. This image was taken from my only visit - a morning walk, and after snapping a few photos I continued on my way.
Here are a few “common-sense” ethical guidelines for wildlife viewing and photography:
• Never feed or bait animals (in many cases this is illegal).
• Do not use animal calls/sound recordings to attract animals.
• Watch or photograph from a distance. Use binoculars and telephoto lenses.
• Be quiet and respectful. You are a visitor in their environment, try to blend in.
• Do not chase, flush out, or approach wildlife.
• Move on after a few minutes/limit your time to minimize your impact.
• Be transparent when sharing images of animals photographed in zoo’s, sanctuaries or any controlled environment.
• Use discretion when sharing locations (especially rare, endangered or breeding animals) and do not share exact locations on social media.
