Want To Photoraph Owls In The Wild, Help

Ok, I am in awe of the awesome Owl photos I see here. Now, I have the burning desire to photograph one. There are some oak trees back in the hills that look so promising, dark, shaddy, bored out trucks and all, but I never see any. What do I need to do, I know they are nocturnal but its hard to photograph them in the dark Is really early morning or sunset a good time, I need some tips. Help

calicokat wrote in post #2091319
Ok, I am in awe of the awesome Owl photos I see here. Now, I have the burning desire to photograph one. There are some oak trees back in the hills that look so promising, dark, shaddy, bored out trucks and all, but I never see any. What do I need to do, I know they are nocturnal but its hard to photograph them in the dark Is really early morning or sunset a good time, I need some tips. Help

My advice to you would be to join a local birding club or find a website that reports bird sightings in your area.

Find out what type of owls are common to your specific location and then read up on the behaviour of those owls (are they nocturnal or diurnal....are they most active at night or also during the daytime?). Here's a good website to start with (actually one of the most comprehensive ones I've come across): www.owlpages.com

If you do the above two things then half your battle is already won. Now you just have to go and photograph them When in the woods listen for the loud cawing of crows or jays because it may be a good indicator an owl or some other predator is being mobbed or harassed.

Just two days ago I heard that some Bluejays were mobbing a Coopers Hawk in one of the local woods here. It had captured some unfortunate prey and was just finishing it off. From what I was told the Bluejays were dive-bombing the hawk and even the squirrels got into the act. I missed it because I was 50km east of town photographing a rare visitor to the area, a Cattle Egret. This brings me to another point....sometimes just going for a walk in the woods can bring unexpected opportunities.

http://www.pbase.com/g​olfpic/image/68113790
http://www.pbase.com/g​olfpic/image/68100482

canondslruser wrote in post #2091383
My advice to you would be to join a local birding club or find a website that reports bird sightings in your area.

Find out what type of owls are common to your specific location and then read up on the behaviour of those owls (are they nocturnal or diurnal....are they most active at night or also during the daytime?). Here's a good website to start with (actually one of the most comprehensive ones I've come across): www.owlpages.com

If you do the above two things then half your battle is already won. Now you just have to go and photograph them When in the woods listen for the loud cawing of crows or jays because it may be a good indicator an owl or some other predator is being mobbed or harassed.

Just two days ago I heard that some Bluejays were mobbing a Coopers Hawk in one of the local woods here. It had captured some unfortunate prey and was just finishing it off. From what I was told the Bluejays were dive-bombing the hawk and even the squirrels got into the act. I missed it because I was 50km east of town photographing a rare visitor to the area, a Cattle Egret. This brings me to another point....sometimes just going for a walk in the woods can bring unexpected opportunities.

http://www.pbase.com/g​olfpic/image/68113790
http://www.pbase.com/g​olfpic/image/68100482

Wow, thanks for the info and tips. The owl pages website is great. How do i go about finding local birding club here in Simi Valley, Ca

And nice shots of the egret as well

I actually saw the crows and jays mobbing an owl last spring. Happened in a stand of cedar trees, right across the street from my house. I grabbed the camera and ran and actually managed to see the owl, but he was WAY up high in the tree and in constant motion. I just got a brief glimpse of the head as he twisted around to avoid the crows.
Eventually, he flew down the line, and then off into the distance.
Saw him one more time around dusk as he landed, again, in one of the cedar trees.
Haven't seen him since, alas.
But the listening for the crows and jays is a very good tip.

nwyman wrote in post #2091545
I actually saw the crows and jays mobbing an owl last spring. Happened in a stand of cedar trees, right across the street from my house. I grabbed the camera and ran and actually managed to see the owl, but he was WAY up high in the tree and in constant motion. I just got a brief glimpse of the head as he twisted around to avoid the crows.
Eventually, he flew down the line, and then off into the distance.
Saw him one more time around dusk as he landed, again, in one of the cedar trees.
Haven't seen him since, alas.
But the listening for the crows and jays is a very good tip.

I will keep this in mind, sounds like its a chance meeting usually

A place to start. I am sure someone there can lead you to them.

http://rsakamoto.home.​mindspring.com/index.h​tml

Blue Deuce wrote in post #2092499
A place to start. I am sure someone there can lead you to them.

http://rsakamoto.home.​mindspring.com/index.h​tml

Thanks Blue, thats right next to me

From my experience, wild owls are where you find them. They have such a large hunting area and are so shy, seeing one is usually pure luck.

canonloader wrote in post #2093499
From my experience, wild owls are where you find them. They have such a large hunting area and are so shy, seeing one is usually pure luck.

I always see people posting owl photos, are they wild owls or are people going to zoos and such

Good advice. I'll also add that looking for their 'pellets' (undigestable bones, feathers, etc. in pelletized form) and whitewash (looks like white paint) on (mostly evergreen) tree trunks is helpful for the woodland species. Great-horned Owls are often found at twilight/dusk where Red-tailed Hawks are during the day. Short-eared Owls are found in the same habitat and often cross paths with Northern Harriers (Marsh Hawks). Going out specifically looking for owls requires a lot of patience and disappointment! But if you're in the right habitat, you never know what you may scare up. Most of the owls I've seen I've gone looking for. Usually unsuccessful, but not always. Check out http://birdingonthe.ne​t/mailinglists/CALB.ht​ml. You'll see sightings listed every day of bird species in CA. Usually people don't give specific locations for owls since they are vulnerable to disturbance, but you may get a general idea. Good luck, hope to see some pictures!

calicokat wrote in post #2093637
I always see people posting owl photos, are they wild owls or are people going to zoos and such

Most of the ones I've seen here were from zoos and refuges. Nothing at all wrong with that, a picture is a picture. But to go looking for owls, and finding one is 90% luck, even if you know what an owl pellet looks like.

When you see an owl picture and he's sitting on a rubbed bare limb with no trash leaves, vines or other branches in the way, where would you guess it was taken at?

canonloader wrote in post #2093686
Most of the ones I've seen here were from zoos and refuges. Nothing at all wrong with that, a picture is a picture. But to go looking for owls, and finding one is 90% luck, even if you know what an owl pellet looks like.

When you see an owl picture and he's sitting on a rubbed bare limb with no trash leaves, vines or other branches in the way, where would you guess it was taken at?

I understand, looks like I am hoping to get lucky

I was stumbling around the woods most of this summer, trying to get some decent shots. Never got anything decent, not even a duck. Then I met a nature photographer in the area and I can find birds anytime now. Thats my suggestion, either join a club, or break the ice and start a conversation with anyone you see holding a decent camera. You know how we are, we can talk for hours about our hobby, so just ask, "where's the birds".

canonloader wrote in post #2093686
When you see an owl picture and he's sitting on a rubbed bare limb with no trash leaves, vines or other branches in the way, where would you guess it was taken at?

Haha, how true! They usually don't make themselves easy to spot, let alone get a photo of.

canonloader wrote in post #2093727
I was stumbling around the woods most of this summer, trying to get some decent shots. Never got anything decent, not even a duck. Then I met a nature photographer in the area and I can find birds anytime now. Thats my suggestion, either join a club, or break the ice and start a conversation with anyone you see holding a decent camera. You know how we are, we can talk for hours about our hobby, so just ask, "where's the birds".

Thats funny, I have been hiking in the back woods and hills for years and the closest thing to a photographer I have seen is my refection in the pond I have never seen any bird lovers or photographers in my area