Benny the Barred Owl 12-10-21...

On Friday, 12-10-21, I went out looking for some owls. It was just beginning to snow when I went out. It continued to snow the next four hours that I was in the woods.

I spotted one of the Great Horned Owls flying about 40 yards away from me after about 40 minutes into my walk. I couldn’t see where it went, but I continued walking in the direction I was already headed because there are two GHO in this area.

Once I finished searching this general  area I didn’t find either Great Horned Owls so my guess was the one I saw flying must have flew across the marsh to another area.

The snow was still coming down harder. Forty minutes after I saw the GHO I found the Barred Owl hiding behind a bunch of Ironwood leaves. He blended in nicely with his surroundings. I dropped my backpack in the snow and got my camera and lens out. Since I’m very familiar with Benny the Barred Owl (his new name), I knew he wouldn’t get excited if I took my time and walked around to find the best angle before setting up my tripod.

I photograph with a 500mm f/4 lens and I usually have my 1.4x teleconverter already on my camera (Nikon D6). This is what I usually photograph the Great Horned Owls with because I’m normally a little further away from them and they usually hang out a little higher in the tree than the Barred Owl. Photographing the Barred Owl I typically use only the 500 mm lens. Walking around the immediate area I took some shots from some different angles. I found a spot that would work with the tripod, so I walked back to the backpack and got the tripod and took off the teleconverter. I walked over and set up the tripod. This worked for taking photographs, but I was still too close for video and I had no more room to back up because of a tree. If I moved to either side there would be unwanted branches in the way.

Benny the Barred Owl was content on snoozing, but every once in a while he would become very alert and whip his head around to the sound of any potential meal. I watched him as he quickly moved his head to the left and this time he was zeroed in on his meal. While I had the video going he flew from his perch down to the ground. I couldn’t see exactly where he was so I grabbed the camera off the tripod to see if I could see him. He was on the ground for several seconds before I finally located him. He looked in my direction and I saw a mouse/vole hanging from his mouth. I was able to get a photograph of him on the ground, but not with his meal in his mouth.  He flew up to another tree close by where he stayed awake and was actively hunting most of the time until I left him at 1630 hrs. I spent 2 1/2 hours with him. When he wasn’t actually listening for his next meal he was grooming himself and doing some general stretches. It always interesting watching the owls spin their heads back and forth in almost a complete circle going faster and faster. I included some photos.

Here are my photos and I’ll probably do a video of my time spent with him…

Barred Owl 12-07-21...

 

On Tuesday, 12-07-21, I went out looking for the owls. It took me about an hour and twenty minutes before I found my favorite Barred Owl. I haven’t seen the “little guy” for almost 10 months. I had already thought something must have happened to him, so I was very happy I found him today.

I almost walked right by him. I was no more than 5 yards from him when I saw him. I backed up another 5 yards and started to get set up. I knew I didn’t need my 1.4x teleconverter so I took that off. When I was set up I was still too close for video so I probably backed up another 5 yards.

This particular owl is very trusting and has never gotten alarmed with me being around. I took a few shots where I was set up with my tripod before I took my camera to get a couple more shots from a few different angles before going back to the tripod.

I spent one hour and forty-five minutes with it today. I took both photos and video. Once it woke up and did some stretches I could see he was activity hunting. He took off at 1625 hrs and flew to where he was hearing his next meal.

On my way out I walked over to him and said, good-bye and happy hunting!

Here are some images of my favorite Barred Owl…

 

Great Horned Owl: Hoot, the female. Squawks, territorial calls w/ Give a Hoot (male), grooming and some stretches. 11-30-21

On, Tuesday, 11-30-21, I found “Hoot” after about an hour in the woods. When I first saw her at a distance I wasn’t sure if it was her or “Give a Hoot” the male. Right after I saw her and before I could get in position another GHO flew near her, but it continued flying further back in the woods. When I heard “Hoot’ give several territorial calls a couple hours later I then knew it had to be “Give a Hoot” who flew by us.

I spent the next 2 1/2 hours with her. The first half hour the sun was out and casting some nasty shadows upon her body from the several branches in front of her. I moved four different times to avoid most of the branches in front of her head and body, except for one across the upper part of her body. This would be the best view I would get today.

When I first found her she was alert, but she didn’t seemed to be bothered by my presence since she avoided eye contact with me. :)  It wasn’t long before she decided to take a nap only opening one or the other eye occasionally, until it was time to fully wake up and start his day.

While watching “Hoot’ I was distracted several times by several deer around me. There were at least eight with two of them being pretty good size bucks. While I was listening I heard some clicking/rattling noises and eventually saw the two bucks sparing with one another. If I had a better view I may have considered taking a video of them. It sounded more like they were only playing with one another. They were just “tickling” each others antlers. Shortly they ended up with a group of four other does that were about thirty yards from me. I took some cell phone video of both bucks walking to the does, but it was hard to see them walking through the trees.

The light was disappearing in the woods so I concentrated on just taking video of Hoot. I had the video going when “Hoot” woke up and did two squawk calls followed up with some territorial calls. The geese and swans were making a lot of noise, but when I reviewed the video “ Give a Hoot” called back to her. When the geese settled down I could hear “Give a Hoot” calling in the distance. They called back and forth a few times before “Hoot” flew off in his direction. I’ve got her doing some grooming and some stretches, also.

I walked over to Hoot after she flew closer to Give a Hoot, the male, but her back was facing to me so I packed up my gear and went home.

When I find either one of these owls I usually spend a few hours with them watching their behaviors. I’ve photographed these two many times over the past year well as their two owlets last winter. 

****I've updated this narrative to show this is Hoot, the female Great Horned Owl. ***