A combination of preparation, luck and patience paid off for a hobby photographer who managed to shoot a dramatic photograph of a migrating short-eared owl.

Michael Simmons was camped on the verge by LF Wade International Airport near Double Dip Express in St George’s, which provides views out over the runway, at about 2pm on December 13 when he spotted the predator.

He had seen it previously on November 20 and again last December at the same location and so decided to prepare to capture the shot.

Mr Simmons told The Royal Gazette: “These owls are one of a few that hunt during the daylight hours. I often go to the same location at around 3pm hoping to get pictures or video of them. In most cases, it doesn't take long before I spot them.

“On this particular day, I was there at about 2pm, and in not more than two minutes, I spotted two of them across the runway.

“They mostly tend to keep pretty far out to the other side of the runway, but when I got this particular shot, it was about 150 to 200 yards away.”

Mr Simmons was shooting with the Sony A7RV with the Sony 400-800mm lens, with a 1.4x teleconverter fitted for the shot.

The photo shows the bird facing the camera, wings outstretched with the sun glowing through them.

Mr Simmons added: “It's always exciting for me to see an owl.

“They're uniquely beautiful birds, and to capture one on camera is even more exciting.

“The sighting of the short-eared owls last year was my very first sighting of an owl in the wild, and my very first capture on camera as well.

“I do like this particular capture. I much prefer to capture birds in flight because I think it's a more dramatic photo.

“When photographing nature, I think it's a combination of preparation, chance, luck, timing and patience — and getting this shot was basically just that.

“As I saw the owl about to land, I took a few shots and luckily, this was what I got out of the burst of shots. I'm very pleased with the result.”

Heather Bottelli, the president of the Bermuda Audubon Society, confirmed the bird as a short-eared owl, one of a pair that appear to visit Bermuda on their annual migrations.

“It is a short-eared owl, there are two of them down there. They come every year and it seems to be their favourite area

“They like big, wide open spaces. The short-eared owl likes to hunt mice and other small rodents.”

Mr Simmons said he considers himself a hobby photographer and that he has always tinkered with cameras and other electronics.

He bought his first interchangeable lens camera in February 2023 and has spent his spare time since shooting Bermuda’s natural environment.