Late last month, while at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I spotted a nearly hidden Great Horned Owl perched in a tangle of branches in the woods.

Great Horned Owl nearly hidden at 100mm, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, OklahomaGreat Horned Owl nearly hidden at 100mm

Neither of these two photos will make it into my galleries because they don’t meet my standards, but I’m sharing them anyway—spotting the nearly hidden owl made me happy.

This image, taken at 100mm, doesn’t even show how small the owl looked to my naked eye. The Great Horned Owl was even harder to spot without using my camera’s viewfinder.

You might wonder why seeing it made me happy.

Great Horned Owl nearly hidden at 400mm, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, OklahomaGreat Horned Owl nearly hidden at 400mm

I was happy because I’m obviously getting used to the lay of the land, or the forest in this case, at the refuge. Having that kind of ability on top of my keen eyesight is a distinct advantage for me as a bird and wildlife photographer.

I’ve lost count of how often this ability—like muscle memory for the landscape—has helped me spot my subjects.

Just the tip of an ear above the waving golden grasses has helped me find deer or coyotes. This skill has also led me to spot raptors perched on cliff faces from half a mile or more away. Noticing something out of place anywhere in the landscape can lead to a wonderful subject. Seeing something in the landscape that is missing can also be helpful in some cases.

This skill, or ability, whatever you want to call it, comes from training my eyes to notice multiple details. I’ve also trained my brain to remember them in the places I go when I’m out in the field looking for subjects to photograph.

I know I’m not the only one who does this. My friend, Steve Creek, has this skill too. It usually works to our advantage.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to view more of my Great Horned Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.