What began as an early morning paddle quickly turned into something else. Along the river, we paused to watch a Barred Owl family. High in a cypress tree, one of the owlets became trapped in a fishing line. This is the story of a rescue, a homecoming and a photographer’s vow to clear the way for the silent hunters of the river.

A morning of birding at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area brought some great wildlife encounters - a Barred Owl, a Snail Kite in action, and a juvenile Little Blue Heron that had me guessing. But an unsettling discovery about playback photography left me reflecting on the importance of respecting nature while capturing its beauty.