Bird enthusiasts flock to Gibbons Park to catch glimpse of baby owls | CBC News

Londoners are bringing out their cameras and binoculars to catch a glimpse of two Great Horned owlets in a nest on top of a tree at Gibbons Park. 

Hobbyist photographer Sarah Pietrkiewicz is one of them. 

“They’ve been stretching and flapping their wings out, just getting ready for fledging,” said Pietrkiewicz, who shoots with a Nikon D500 camera. “I haven’t seen them eat yet, but I know other people have.”

The Toronto-based photographer has been capturing wildlife for nearly four years and has made the trip to the London park twice to see how the owls have grown. 

“I love watching animals and their behaviour,” she said. “I think they’re just absolutely gorgeous, and you learn a lot about the environment just by watching them. It’s also a way to de-stress.” 

According to Pietrkiewicz, listening carefully to your environment and the cues from birds can lead you to all types of wildlife. 

“If I’m just wandering around, I try to listen to the birds. You can’t understand what they’re saying but sometimes you can pick up tone and urgency, and sometimes you can find raptors or other predators.” 

Jamie Worne says he’s known about the nest through other photographers, and has been to the park many times over the last few weeks to see the owlets. He was very happy with the way his photos turned out, he said.

“I just wanted to see how they were growing before they left the nest. It’s so nice being able to see the different animals, and a great way to relax and spend some time outside,” he said. 

A good boost for the soul

“There’s always a lot of people here so I try to give them a little bit of space, but once in a while I always pop by. They’re mostly just sitting around sleeping today, there’s a little bit of movement but not much,” Worne said.

Both Worne and Pietrkiewicz say that it’s easy for owls to get spooked by spectators, especially if they get too close or make loud noises. It’s important to respect the owls’ space as well, especially ones at such a young age, he said.

Instead, Pietrkiewicz suggests people stay farther away from the owls and be as quiet as possible to ensure the birds also remain comfortable in their nests. She also says it’s not a good idea to feed them.

“I know these are urban animals so they’re literally growing up around noise and don’t seem too bothered by it, but sometimes when you’re outside the city you can see different behaviours in different animals,” she said. 

Pietrkiewicz and Worne both encourage other bird lovers to get out and see more wildlife and nature because it’s a good boost for the soul, they said.