The Great Horned Owl Quest

[Grasshopper]

I have become lazy of late and have been leaving my DLSR (camera) at home and just taking my iPhone with me on hikes.  

Then this past year we have had a bunch of owls move into the hood.  Great Horned Owls at that.  

I have tried to get a good shot with my phone, but it just isn't cutting it.  The shots are blurry and just not what I was wanting.

I needed to get the big camera out!!!!!  But I also thought, a new lens has been in order, now might be the best time. 

So off I went on my Honda to seek out some fine Nikon glass! 

It was a cloudy day, so a bit cooler and with some lovely clouds over the water.

I was in luck, the only local store that sells such things had just what I was looking for. 

 

Now to get out there and find my owl. 

I have become rather good at finding them in the forest, you have to be very quiet and know where to look, they like to sit in the middle branches and watch you walking by.

I was very excited when I found one.  They are getting comfortable with me so this one sat still nicely for my photo.

I got a much better photo with my new lens, making for a very happy Grasshopper.  It could be better, but the fun is in working on getting that perfect shot! 

 

[XTreme]

Nice one Michelle......great shot!

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Ah great stuff @Grasshopper's Ride Love the owl, cant wait for more! Saw a full size deer out the window this morning. We have little roe deer in the  hedgerows but this was a biggun. If I see it again Ill try n get a pic. Goodness knows where theyre going to go when the maize is cut, theres not a lot of cover for full size deer around here… but then they have no ideer do they

[Pedro]

Quite the effort, thank you!

[boboneleg]

That's just superb, I'd be well chuffed if I'd got that shot.  You da Woman

[Buckster]

I wonder what they taste like deep fried in batter?

[Grasshopper]

Went out this morning looking for my backyard owl and I found him.  

He was very sleepy and at first a bit shy.....

 

But then he relaxed and gave me some poses.   Although he still looked rather grumpy, but owls have that look.....

[Sir Fallsalot]

2 minutes ago, Grasshopper's Ride said:

Went out this morning looking for my backyard owl and I found him.  

He was very sleepy and at first a bit shy.....

 

But then he relaxed and gave me some poses. 

Great photos, i hear a owl hooting regularly around here in the night but haven't seen it yet 

[Grasshopper]

5 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Great photos, i hear a owl hooting regularly around here in the night but haven't seen it yet 

They can be hard to spot, this one seems to be getting used to us and sharing our space well. 

[Sir Fallsalot]

2 minutes ago, Grasshopper's Ride said:

They can be hard to spot, this one seems to be getting used to us and sharing our space well. 

As i kid i was in a quarry below my parents house with my father and he said to me look at that Owl pointing at the ivy covered quarry wall and for the life of me i couldn't see it he kept pointing saying by there look i was at a loss i thought he was winding me up and then the owl moved it's head it was less than eight feet from us and huge i would never have seen it if it hadn't moved it blended so well with the background

[Pedro]

We have tiny owls where my home is, the most typical owls there, “Mocho Galego”

Two of them go talk to each other on my neighbours balcony at night, drive her insane 

[Sir Fallsalot]

I remember another time i couldn't see an owl i was in a petrol station in Bonvilston many years ago i had just paid for fuel and the guy serving me said have you seen our owl i said no wondering what the hell he was on about, he said go in there and have a look, it was a barn type building alongside the garage, in i goes and looks everywhere up in the rafters, window sills shelves on the walls everywhere i couldn't see it. Went back to tell the guy i couldn't see it and he said its definitely there have another look so back in i goes thinking this guy is taking the piss out of me looks around again couldn't see no damn owl by this time i'd lost interest and some leaflets caught my eye on the table in front of me when i turned to look there was the owl on the table a few feet from where i was standing it was a barn owl just sat there didn't move seemed quite tame i went back to the guy and said i wasn't expecting it to be sat in front of me so didn't see it.