Elusive Great Horned Owls in the wild
Apr 20, 2018 20:36:00 #
I think these may be a box-check for my bucket list ! 8-) .......I must say, prior to this, I have NO Owl images in the wild - and I have been looking a L-O-N-G time 8-(
We went out the other day scouting some new shooting venues. We pulled into the parking area of a remote trailhead about 10 A.M. (cameras in the trunk). I walked about 40 yards on the trail and heard what I thought was an Owl - then I saw it fly in front of me- and KNEW it was an Owl ! - It flew to the other side of the small river and landed in a large pine tree ( we rushed to get our cameras OUT - I had elected to bring my Sony A77II with Minolta 500 AF Reflex lens for longer ranges - like THIS - and grabbed my monopod also.
We took some shots across the river (#1) and THEN, the Owl came flying back to the tree he first flew out of - AND - he was now much closer ! So, we got some more shots
! All the while, I could tell the Owl was somewhat disturbed and , I thought, unusual that he would come back to THIS tree.
About this time, a guy pulls into the parking area and gets out with his DOG
and proceeds to come towards where we (and the Owl) are 
- the owl sees the DOG and (of course) takes off - again to the other side of the river. We speak with the guy briefly and I begin to hear strange sounds coming from the Owl across the river - I look and see #3 
which I now interpreted to be an injured decoy behavior for the protection of a young one ! We get the guy and the DOG to LEAVE ! - and start looking for a nest or young one and find #4 
- took some shots and decided to leave and let nature take it's course .
These were all challenging shots most @ ISO 1600 and large crops shot as JPEG and PP in Elements 9.
..
We went out the other day scouting some new shooting venues. We pulled into the parking area of a remote trailhead about 10 A.M. (cameras in the trunk). I walked about 40 yards on the trail and heard what I thought was an Owl - then I saw it fly in front of me- and KNEW it was an Owl ! - It flew to the other side of the small river and landed in a large pine tree ( we rushed to get our cameras OUT - I had elected to bring my Sony A77II with Minolta 500 AF Reflex lens for longer ranges - like THIS - and grabbed my monopod also.
We took some shots across the river (#1) and THEN, the Owl came flying back to the tree he first flew out of - AND - he was now much closer ! So, we got some more shots
! All the while, I could tell the Owl was somewhat disturbed and , I thought, unusual that he would come back to THIS tree.About this time, a guy pulls into the parking area and gets out with his DOG
and proceeds to come towards where we (and the Owl) are - the owl sees the DOG and (of course) takes off - again to the other side of the river. We speak with the guy briefly and I begin to hear strange sounds coming from the Owl across the river - I look and see #3 which I now interpreted to be an injured decoy behavior for the protection of a young one ! We get the guy and the DOG to LEAVE ! - and start looking for a nest or young one and find #4 - took some shots and decided to leave and let nature take it's course .These were all challenging shots most @ ISO 1600 and large crops shot as JPEG and PP in Elements 9.
..
across the river
(Download)
ready to defend !
(Download)
the injured "decoy" after seeing the DOG
(Download)
Owlet
(Download)
Apr 20, 2018 20:51:37 #
Apr 20, 2018 20:57:18 #
Great captures. Owls just seem to elude me. My house sits in the middle on my one and a half acre lot with plenty of trees. I hear the owls every night. I can stand right under the tree I hear them in and still cant get that shot.
Apr 20, 2018 21:13:45 #
imagemeister wrote:
I think these may be a box-check for my bucket lis... (show quote)
Very nice Larry! You made the best of what for most of us is a rare opportunity. These are good, I'm happy for you.
Apr 20, 2018 21:31:27 #
Apr 20, 2018 21:32:41 #
Hal81 wrote:
Great captures. Owls just seem to elude me. My house sits in the middle on my one and a half acre lot with plenty of trees. I hear the owls every night. I can stand right under the tree I hear them in and still cant get that shot.
Thank you Hal ! ......I share your experience
Apr 20, 2018 21:33:55 #
rockdog wrote:
Very nice Larry! You made the best of what for most of us is a rare opportunity. These are good, I'm happy for you.
Thank you so much Phil !
AppreciateApr 21, 2018 05:38:50 #
Apr 21, 2018 05:56:24 #
Apr 21, 2018 05:58:23 #
Apr 21, 2018 06:08:02 #
Apr 21, 2018 06:12:59 #
imagemeister wrote:
I think these may be a box-check for my bucket lis... (show quote)
Larry, excellent set of photos and congrads on getting photos of a bird you have been trying to capture.
Greg
Apr 21, 2018 07:24:39 #
Apr 21, 2018 07:25:29 #
Apr 21, 2018 07:44:20 #
imagemeister wrote:
I think these may be a box-check for my bucket lis... (show quote)
Great series and great story Larry!
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