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Barred Owl
Barred Owl in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Walpack, NJ on April 25, 2011. Shot with Canon 7D-300mm w/2.0tele.
I saw my first owl in 2010. It flew across the road I was on in the DWGNRA & landed deep in the woods. I was able to get 2 shots that I could ID it and found out it was a Barred Owl. When I got home I read they live in a 1 square mile area so I went back up the next evening with my bird call & within 5 minutes had one come right in. It was incredible to see them up close. Awesome to see every time.
Barred Owl
After not seeing them in 2012, I tried in early 2013. I got them to respond but they wouldn't show themselves. Then on April 25 after a series of calls, one flew right in. I was lucky to get a couple shots before I let them be. Glad to see they are still there.
Barn Owl
This was on my all time list of birds I never thought I'd ever see in the wild. I knew people that had gotten pics of them before in the Walkill River NWR but I had never seen one. Then in winter of 2014 I was in right place right time when the other birders spotted one in their scopes. I saw it fly thru some trees and started firing away. Out of 40 shots I only got one that was ok. Even though I cropped it a lot it was good enuff for me! I hope to see one again & get better shots.
Great Horned Owl
One of my bucket list birds to get a photo of has been the Great Horned Owl. I had never seen one despite my trying in the DWGNRA many times. One day I pulled into my friends driveway just at dark & saw a big bird fly back in his woods, I knew it had to be an owl so I called to it & sure enuff it called back. It was a Great Horned! I decided to come back 5 days later an hour before sunset and call to it. After only 5 minutes he called back! I couldn't believe it. After another 20 minutes of back & forth calling, he swooped in & landed in the tree right next to me. I only had less then a minute to snap a couple pics and he was gone. Really awesome experience. Nothing in the world that gets the adrenaline going then encountering a Great Horned Owl in the wild.
July 17, 2012