ducks, late goose season and northern visitors

D

Dick Sargeant

Well-known member
Have had a chance to get some shots over the past few weeks here are more of the wintering pintails -

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Yesterday dawned cold with a promise of a lot of wind, which I got with many visitors but all of the geese snuck out the back door wihtout giving us a look -
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This morning I tried again to find the snowy owls out in the marshes. I hiked about 3 miles and was rewarded with my first ever sighting of these awesome birds. Starting with another cold morning =

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When I returned home, my neighbor called to tell me she had a great horned owl in her backyard -

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What a great weekend............hope to get some better flight shots of the snowy owls but they are pretty hard to get close to and usually take off straight away. Hope you all enjoy these.........
sarge
 
sarg

Nice pictures. That isn't a great horned owl. I suspect it is an immature barred owl, or something far more rare. Got any other photos?
 
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HI Brad - Not any better, pine needles were in the way. Will try to get a better one if it shows up again. I was wondering about the species. It was about 12 inches high in a sitting position, not counting the tail.
sarge
 
Great stuff! Like them all but that 6th snowy owl photo is something special.

Tim
 
Awesome shots Dick. The photo of the breaking dawn is absolutely breathtaking.
Best - Paul
 
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Good morning Sarge
All I can say is wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is this the same guy that poated pics last summer and fall. Looks as though you jumped to the next level. Very weel done and congrats on the snowy. What a great set. I enjoyed them very much. Glad to see you back out with the camera.

Gary march
 
Those images are great! The snowy owl shots are very cool, such an awesome bird! I watched pintails all season in a few spots but never had one come in to the rig...oh well, maybe next year.

-Adam
 
Great photos! I agree with one of the posters that the last owl is not a great horned but probably a Barred Owl.
 
Great photos! I agree with one of the posters that the last owl is not a great horned but probably a Barred Owl.

Hi Tom - After looking at images, I have to agree although this guy's tail is longer than most of the Barred Owl pics I could find.

Maybe it was the way he was perched or maybe immature as Brad suggested.

thanks -
sarge
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Those images are great! The snowy owl shots are very cool, such an awesome bird! I watched pintails all season in a few spots but never had one come in to the rig...oh well, maybe next year.

-Adam

Hi Adam - Thanks ! - I don't know where those pintails came from......there were up to about 4 dozen feeding in the flat daily when a lot of other places were frozen. Then, when it warmed up, they took off. It will be interesting to see if they come back if we get another hard freeze.

sarge
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Sarge,

First pintil hen shot is awesome! Love the lighting.

Hi Bob - Thanks ! - Very late in the day. With this lens, 400mm but 5.6, it's hard to get the nice soft light in clear focus.

BTW - PM sent a few weeks ago re calls and decoys.

sarge
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Good morning Sarge
All I can say is wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is this the same guy that poated pics last summer and fall. Looks as though you jumped to the next level. Very weel done and congrats on the snowy. What a great set. I enjoyed them very much. Glad to see you back out with the camera.

Gary march

Hi Gary - Thanks ! - pretty funny, I got so excited, I posted the buff twice ! ..........BTW the buffs were doing some big mating thing. Racing across the surface and squawking at each other...........was set up too far from the commotion but I hope to capture at some point........didn't know they could make such a fuss.

As for your kind words............I hope I can help another as much as you helped me ..........thanks are all mine.

Dick
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Awesome shots Dick. The photo of the breaking dawn is absolutely breathtaking.
Best - Paul

Thanks Paul ! - was going to ring your bell about duck boat boxes but there is no safe ice in the freshwater marsh !

Dick
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Thanks Tim and Derek ............I might have to turn that one into my 2012 xmas card !

I have to protect a few of these over the net but if you ever want a copy just send a PM !

sarge
 
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