Can someone on this site please tell me how you are able to get these owl photos??? I spend a lot of time in the woods and never see them.I know they are there cuz I can hear them at night. If I ever do come across one it flushes as soon as it sees me usually very far away. How do you do it ???
Some tips I've picked up over the years on finding them:
Listen for other birds going nuts. I've found owls thanks to crows, robins and nutcrackers harassing them.
Look for "white wash" (droppings) piling up at one spot under a tree. This can be a good sign of a roosting owl. This was invaluable when looking for smaller owls like saw-whets, which otherwise may huddle under dense branches without ever being seen.
I also know someone who's found several owl nests by driving out at night, pulling over occasionally to listen for hooting. He returns to the spot during the day and heads into the woods to look for them.
Even knowing all this stuff, I still think a lot of it comes down to luck. As far as photos, I think it depends on the owl. I've found great grays that are quite tolerant, but then this year found a couple that were really shy. I've had great luck with short-eared owls in the past--some flying within 20 feet of me while hunting--and other times they won't come anywhere near me. Just goes to show that individuals in a species often behave differently.
Max
Posted by Richard Ditch on June 27, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Max has good tips.
More time looking is always a good idea. Having other birds find them for you works as well - I've found saw-whet, great horned, eastern screech, and long-eared that way.
Approach very slowly and quietly. No sudden movements.
Look for white wash and when you find it, look up. Come back to the same spot later.
Posted by Greg Lessard on June 28, 2013 at 6:54 AM
Max and Richard offer excellent tips. Each owl is different. Approach slowly, slower than a snail, stay low and quiet. Keep a respectful distance. Try tripping your shutter every so often as you approach, so that the owl can hear that noise and get used to you. Keep an eye on birding websites. If the birders are getting a good look at owls, you may get a tip of where to start looking. Here is a link to an article I wrote about how to approach snowy owls. http://blog.greglessardphotography.com/2011/11/how-to-approach-snowy-owl.html
I hope it helps. Good luck!
I found some barred owls by listening for them. However there are times when don't hear a thing, I downloaded iBird 6 on my cell phone. At times when I don't anything I open up the app and put in the specie such as a barred owl and let the iPhone make the call. Sometimes this works. I use it for location only, once I hear them I don't use it any more. Try to find a place where there owl where people congregate, they can get used to people, to a certain degree. Also you might try find a rehabilitator, sometimes they will let you take photos. I found that let me take photos all she wanted was food for the birds and wildlife, like a bag of seed
Discussion
4 repliesListen for other birds going nuts. I've found owls thanks to crows, robins and nutcrackers harassing them.
Look for "white wash" (droppings) piling up at one spot under a tree. This can be a good sign of a roosting owl. This was invaluable when looking for smaller owls like saw-whets, which otherwise may huddle under dense branches without ever being seen.
I also know someone who's found several owl nests by driving out at night, pulling over occasionally to listen for hooting. He returns to the spot during the day and heads into the woods to look for them.
Even knowing all this stuff, I still think a lot of it comes down to luck. As far as photos, I think it depends on the owl. I've found great grays that are quite tolerant, but then this year found a couple that were really shy. I've had great luck with short-eared owls in the past--some flying within 20 feet of me while hunting--and other times they won't come anywhere near me. Just goes to show that individuals in a species often behave differently.
Max
More time looking is always a good idea. Having other birds find them for you works as well - I've found saw-whet, great horned, eastern screech, and long-eared that way.
Approach very slowly and quietly. No sudden movements.
Look for white wash and when you find it, look up. Come back to the same spot later.
I hope it helps. Good luck!