It’s been a long time since my last trip down to the French Alps. I am mad about pygmy owls and autumn colours, so it can’t really get any better than having both combined in the same trip.
It is mid-October and at this time of the year the miniature owls are particularly active, even during the day. The males are establishing their territories and looking for potential partners. Their call is easy to recognise, but given their tiny size (no bigger than a starling) and their cryptic plumage, they can be very hard to spot, even if you hear them call right above your head.
Unlike most owls, the pygmy owl is more curious than fearful of humans, a welcome change for the photographer. Having said that, it will inevitably give you a good run for your money, not because it is shy, but simple because it has its own busy agenda to follow. And unlike us, it has wings, making it much easier to move around. Hence trying to keep up with it in its natural habitat, the steep and abrupt slopes of old and overgrown mountain forests, is quite a challenge, even for the fittest.
But well worth the effort as you can see in the selection of images below. They are the result of 2 full days spent tracking the tiny owls across the gorgeous high altitude larch stands of the French Alps. And all of that when the autumn colours looked their best!
