I read in the latest Birder`s World that New Jersey`s Delaware Bayshore is a hot-spot for Great Horned Owls. I was hoping members could comments on this as a viable dedicated photo trip.
Scott
Posted by Richard Ditch on November 3, 2007 at 7:17 PM
Not a chance. Great Horned Owls in NJ stay hidden as much as possible, and when you do find them the photo ops aren't very good. I was an active birder in NJ from 1970 until I left in 1994; I saw lots of GHO's, but few on the Delaware Bayshore.
Posted by Steve Foss on November 3, 2007 at 8:51 PM
Yes, that's any nocturnal owl (working to say hidden during the day). The diurnal owls (snowy owls for example) seem not to get bombarded by other birds, but nocturnal owls such as great horned owls and screech owls, to name just two, are very quiet and secretive during daylight. Crows will bedevil the larger owls, and seem to have a special hate for GHOs, and chickadees will mercilessly mob screech, saw-whet and boreal owls.
Scott, You might want to check out the forum provided below to find out more about any owls in your area, you could probably do a search on past years on here, too.
I knew it had to bo too good to be true. I should keep in mind that it is, after all, a birding mag and, as we all know, great birding sites are often not great photography sites. Incidently, I have spent a lot of time with owls and I have a decent portfolio of North American owls. I'm not entirely happy iwht my GHO shots.
Scott
Posted by Steve Foss on November 4, 2007 at 7:59 PM
Scott, I don't know where you live, but GHOs on the Great Plains sometimes nest in lower scrubby trees/shrubbery, say 6-10 feet above the ground. This was true when I lived in central North Dakota, and my reading indicates it happens pretty often on the Plains, where the only honest to God trees usually grow along creeks and rivers.
Now, I'm not advocating the invasion of a GHO's space to get nesting owl shots, but with a long enough lens and some care, excellent eye-level images can be had of GHOs on the Plains. Back before I switched my binocs for a camera, I spent time watching several such nests in different locations over a two year period near Niagara, N.D.
Not a destination, unfortunately, but as a long shot you might check with local Audubon Society chapters in Great Plains cities large enough to also have universities. If you present yourself as a lover of birds and one who takes care not to disturb them, you can usually find help for this type of thing from Audubon chapters. And you can stress that you're not looking to get right up next to the birds to photograph the nest tightly, just that IDing the location of a low nest will give you the best chance to get great action shots of GHOs.
Not much help, but maybe it's better than nothing.
Discussion
5 repliesScott
http://www.owlpages.info/forum/index.php
Nancy
I knew it had to bo too good to be true. I should keep in mind that it is, after all, a birding mag and, as we all know, great birding sites are often not great photography sites. Incidently, I have spent a lot of time with owls and I have a decent portfolio of North American owls. I'm not entirely happy iwht my GHO shots.
Scott
Now, I'm not advocating the invasion of a GHO's space to get nesting owl shots, but with a long enough lens and some care, excellent eye-level images can be had of GHOs on the Plains. Back before I switched my binocs for a camera, I spent time watching several such nests in different locations over a two year period near Niagara, N.D.
Not a destination, unfortunately, but as a long shot you might check with local Audubon Society chapters in Great Plains cities large enough to also have universities. If you present yourself as a lover of birds and one who takes care not to disturb them, you can usually find help for this type of thing from Audubon chapters. And you can stress that you're not looking to get right up next to the birds to photograph the nest tightly, just that IDing the location of a low nest will give you the best chance to get great action shots of GHOs.
Not much help, but maybe it's better than nothing.