Barred Owl...the video

Here's the video of me locating the Barred Owl on Tuesday, 12-22-20. We got to spend a little over 3 hours together. I had to go home, since it was dark and it had some hunting to do :)

Barred Owl

Today, 12-22-20, I went out a little earlier than I normally do to go look for “my” Great Horned Owl. I checked her normal hang-outs, but I couldn’t locate her. I continued walking the woods in case I could hear her call, but very unlikely with all the noise from the high winds.  

After an hour and a half I decided to sit down to listen and scan the area for “my” GHO. I took my backpack off, set it down and was going to sit on the ground with my back against a large tree. I was just about to sit, but instead I decided to sit on a log a few feet further away.

I turned around after a couple minutes and sat down on the log.  Well, I look up and see a Barred Owl watching me from a distance of maybe 12 yards. My backpack with my camera gear is 5 to 6 feet away from me, but closer to the owl. If I want to get any pictures of the owl I need to get up and get my backpack.

I got out my camera that already had my 1.4x teleconverter attached and put on my 500mm lens. I took a shot of the owl and could  see that I’m too close. I backed up a little while still on the log. That’s better but not what I need if I want to do some video. I ended up about 22 yards from the owl. The owl was busy sleeping so she wasn’t concerned with whatever I was doing, I also removed the teleconverter after a few shots.

I located the owl at 2pm and I watched it until a few minutes past 5pm.It slept most of the time. I hoped to get some flying shots of the owl when it woke up, but it never flew away until I was all packed up and it was completely dark out. I was able to get a shot of the owl regurgitating a pellet and a couple episodes of “white wash”. We all know what that is! I didn't include a picture of this, but the first episode was on video.

 

Pine Grosbeak...

 Male and female Grosbeak taken at the Sax-Zim Bog on 12-17-20.

Chuck

Northern Hawk Owl...

I went up to the Sax-Zim Bog from 12-16-20 to 12-18-20. I caught the glimpse of a Great Gray Owl early one morning while it was hunting, but I couldn't get a shot of it. Then on my way to Grand Rapids 15 minutes after sunset I saw a Great Gray Owl in a tree along side of the road. I stopped, but it was too dark to get a usable image. 

I was able to photograph this Northern Hawk Owl on all three days. He sure likes to perch on the power poles. I also looked for a Snowy Owl around the fields a couple mornings and one evening.

 

 

Great Horned Owl

The video from today showing me setting up to photograph and of the owl...

I wanted to go out while it was snowing to try and locate and photograph the owl today,12-13-20.

 

 

 

Great Horned Owl...the video

On 12-10-20 I went out to check on "my" Great Horned Owl. I found her where I figured she would be, although I glassed the tree from a distance and I didn't see her. Once again, I walked right up to her in her tree before I saw her so I backtracked to get out my camera gear out of my backpack. Once I got it all ready I made my way to where I could get the best view. I was about 22 yards from her tree. It would have been another fabulous view EXCEPT for one small horizontal branch distracting her neck area. I only took a few photographs since that horizontal branch was very distracting...to me. Since I knew the photos weren't going to get any better with that branch in the way, I took mostly video clips of her. I was hoping to capture some of her behaviors including her wake-up routine like I captured with photographs a few days earlier. Today I was with her for 2 hours and fifty minutes with the first hour and forty minutes where she slept and moved very little. After she woke up she changed positions on the branch and she appeared to be actively hunting.

Great Horned Owl... 12-10-20

 This afternoon I went out to check on "my" Great Horned Owl. I found her where I figured she would be, although I glassed the tree from a distance and I didn't see her. Once again, I walked right up to her in her tree before I saw her so I backtracked to get out my gear. Once I got it all ready I made my way to where I could get the best view. I was about 22 yards from her tree. It would have been another fabulous view EXCEPT for one small horizontal branch blocking/distracting her neck area. I only took a few photographs since that horizontal branch was very distracting. Since I knew the photos weren't going to get any better with that branch in the way, I took mostly video clips of her. I was hopping she would do her wake-up routine again. Today I was with her for 2 hours and fifty minutes with the first hour and forty minutes where she slept and moved very little. After she woke up she changed positions on the branch and she appeared to be actively hunting.

 

 Chuck