Great Horned Owl

"You are going to fall off a cliff trying to get a better shot someday"- My hopeful and loving wife
My Website

My Gear

Calicokat 1990-2007 RIP My Loving Kitty

village idiot wrote in post #3170705
One of the best gho shots I've seen. Very nice!

Thanks for the kind words.

rrdjserv@earthlink.net wrote in post #3170734
I think I would blur the BG some, but this is an awesome capture. --Rick

Thanks Rick. I'm not sure blurring would help in this situation as it is quite contrasty.

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.

Canon 50D, 40D, Tokina 12-24,Canon 18-55,Canon 28-135 IS, Canon 50 1.8,Canon 75-300 5.6,
Canon 200 2.8 L, Canon 400 f/5.6 L, Bogen monopod and Sunpak Tripod with manfrotto Pistol ball grip.

owlboy wrote in post #3171211
Great-Horned Owls (GHO) will often use a nesting site for several years, and then move onto a new nesting site. If the nest is at a good location (sufficient prey and lack of preditors of their owlets) they may use it for 5-8 years at most.

After nesting, both the male and female do not stay together. But the family does stay loosely connected thru the summer months. Come December-February of the following year, the male and female will come back together to mate again.

canondsluser wrote: .
This is called "Branching". When the GHO owlets get to get to be 45-55 days old, they start moving on onto the branches. Sooner or later all of them fall to the ground. They will run around on the ground until they learn how to climb up the tree. Then they will climb vertically up the tree and sit on a branch until they are 60-75 days old. At this point they are mature enough to start flying. Branchers are great photo opportunities that most photographers miss. But, beware...parents of Branchers can be very aggressive. Especially GHO! If you get too close the parents will fly by and drag their talons across the tops of your head. If the parents are doing this, then you are too close. Use your telephoto lens to avoid disturbing them and injuring yourself.

From what I understand from the post and some of the replies, is that there is a Male GHO present, and maybe at one time there was a male and female present on a nest site. It is possible that the female was killed (GHO live about 13 years in the wild on the average). But, it is usually the male who is killed during nesting season. If the male is killed, the female will then hunt and take care of the owlets. It is also possible that the pair moved to another location, and one of their owlets (from last year) is now occupying the territory. Or, it could be a completely different owl.

Hey, appreciate the info owlboy. Thanks for taking the time.

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.

snowyowl13 wrote in post #3188636
Great capture. Where is Mud Lake?

Thanks snowyowl13.


Mud Lake is located at Britannia Conservation area in Ottawa, Ontario. OK, so where is Britannia Conservation area? This will explain it in detail.
http://ca.geocities.co​m …ily@rogers.com/​orwo10.htm

quote=PTPT;3188640]Ver​y clear.

pttenn wrote in post #3188739
Man that's a terrific shot!

Karen

Thanks Karen.


Thanks PTPT

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.

calicokat wrote in post #3171350
Beautiful shot, nice find

Thanks calicokat.

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.

Zenfolio Gallery
Gear List

Mitch- ____...^.^...____
Gear List, My You Tube
War is not about who's right, it's about who's left.

dazzlebea wrote in post #3208870
Beautiful caprute of this magnificent creature! Sad to hear that he is all alone, I hope he finds someone to mate with next year.

Thanks Bea. We all do Mud Lake isn't quite the same without a family of owls around......although there are many other birds and critters to photograph.

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.

Quote:
If you get too close the parents will fly by and drag their talons across the tops of your head.

canonloader wrote in post #3208980
I might have to try that, I broke my comb last week.

On a more serious note, someone reported to a birding email list in Ontario, Canada that a Northern Goshawk had attacked him. From the sounds of it there may have been a nest nearby. This is just going by the guys word so not sure if it's even true or not. No reference to it in the weekly Ottawa/Gatineau report to Ontbirds either.

Here's the report:

"I was hiking in the Gatineau Hills Wednesday, May 11, and saw a mature northern
goshawk. It sat in a high pine in deep bush making a great deal of noise and
coming closer to me.

After about five minutes, I continued down the trail and it attacked me from
behind, hitting my head with claws and a solid thump. This happened two more
times, at which point I picked up two dead branches and crossed them behind and
over my head. After that there were seven repeated "attacks," but no hits
because of the sticks. My bug hat was torn by the claws.

Best look at a goshawk I've ever had.

-- Roger Bird"

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.

Best regards

Sindri

Glenn Abuja wrote in post #3211685
Great photo I'd love the chance to record one of these guy's.

Thanks Glenn. Best bet is to check your local birding group reports for sightings of this owl.

Sindri Skulason wrote in post #3215974
Outstanding shot.

Thanks Sindri.

Lenses: Canon 35/2, 50 1.8 II, 85 1.8, 100 2.8 USM Macro, 17-55 2.8 IS, 200 2.8L, 400 5.6L, 135 2.8 SF, 10-22, 18-55, 28-135 IS, 70-200L f4, 70-200 2.8L, 75-300 IS, 100-400L IS, Canon TC II 1.4x + 2.0x, Tamron 1.4x + 2x and 500D. Cameras: 300D, 30D, 40D, S400, SD700 IS, G2, G7 IS and Fuji F30. Accessories: 420ex + 580ex Flash, CP-E3 Battery Pack, BB, StormJackets, filters, PS CS3. Cover Shot: www.floridawildlifemag​azine.com/pastissues.c​fm and published in a variety of publications.