Great Horned Owl

[jmahto]

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I don't remember when I was so excited looking at a creature for the first time. When I managed to spot them on the tree resting, I was simply awestruck. They are like a big cat resting on top of the tree!

 

I shot this in my neighborhood park.

 

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He was sleeping but he opened his eyes briefly and gave me a look just when my shutter tripped. Rest of the time he was sleeping.

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Mrs. Owl was sitting next to him facing the other way. I managed to shoot her from other side.

[Tom Barry]

Well done. GHOs are everywhere, but people rarely get to see them in the daylight hours. Congratulations on spotting both male and female in one swoop.

[North / Northwest]

Well done Jayant. It must have been exciting viewing your first owl.

 

This past summer a neighbor and I captured a GHO with a broken wing. I had on heavy leather gloves but the birds claws still penetrated and drew blood. Happy to say the bird recovered at a local bird rescue center and is now back in the wild. Happy ending.

[jmahto]

Well done Jayant. It must have been exciting viewing your first owl.

 

This past summer a neighbor and I captured a GHO with a broken wing. I had on heavy leather gloves but the birds claws still penetrated and drew blood. Happy to say the bird recovered at a local bird rescue center and is now back in the wild. Happy ending.

WOW, looking at the bird is one thing and be able to touch and lift a bird is another experience! I am glad the bird is ok. They just look so magnificent. It took me a day to get over the wow part.

[Uwe M.]

Congrats!

That is a great feeling to see the owl on its sleeping-tree.

In my portfolio @500 px i have also one.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Uwe M.

[jmahto]

Congrats!

That is a great feeling to see the owl on its sleeping-tree.

In my portfolio @500 px i have also one.

Thanks. Saw your Owl picture. Much clearer and better picture. Beautiful.

[Uwe M.]

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Thanks. Saw your Owl picture. Much clearer and better picture. Beautiful.

Thank you too.

[war]

Thanks for these nice photos.  Have only photographed these in a raptor sanctuary. 

[Bill W]

Great shot. We have them in our back area and you can hear them every night but have never seem them. Not sure where they go during the day but plenty of places to hide.

[North / Northwest]

WOW, looking at the bird is one thing and be able to touch and lift a bird is another experience! I am glad the bird is ok. They just look so magnificent. It took me a day to get over the wow part.

 

 

Jayant,

I must say it was an amazing experience to touch a totally wild creature. I was amazed by how large their eyes are.

[jmahto]

Great shot. We have them in our back area and you can hear them every night but have never seem them. Not sure where they go during the day but plenty of places to hide.

It would be a fun to locate them in day time. I learned a little from the local college kids who were having a field trip in this area for birds. They told me that GHOs normally rest on top of tall trees and they drop "pallets" below. Pallets are the coughed out remains of their food (crushed bones, hair, feathers etc.). Therefore you simply go to the tallest trees and look for white bird droppings and pallets on the ground. Once you find it, you look straight up. That's how I (with college kids) located these. Of course, it helped to know about the general area where they were suspected to be there.

[Bill W]

It would be a fun to locate them in day time. I learned a little from the local college kids who were having a field trip in this area for birds. They told me that GHOs normally rest on top of tall trees and they drop "pallets" below. Pallets are the coughed out remains of their food (crushed bones, hair, feathers etc.). Therefore you simply go to the tallest trees and look for white bird droppings and pallets on the ground. Once you find it, you look straight up. That's how I (with college kids) located these. Of course, it helped to know about the general area where they were suspected to be there.

Thanks for the information. I will try to find some evidence out back.