Week 9 of 52: Pepe Le Pew (Skunk), because this winter is starting to STINK!
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Kent
It always sadden me a little when I come to realize that my beloved Bald Eagles are leaving rivers of Illinois and headed back North. It was a great year, 9 trips to the Mississippi, and over 8500 photos still to edit.
To fill the void, I took a chance and started looking for Snowy Owls. The extreme cold along with the population explosion has forced Snowy Owls farther South that normal. Once I learned that there was at least one within 35 miles of my home, The search was on.
I strongly recommend using www.eBird.com to track any migratory birds. Here is a link to my posted sightings.
After one trip on the weekend of 2/15 and 2/16 I was hooked!
They are supper skittish, and even though I have a 500mm lens, I couldn’t get close enough for full frame photos.
The following weekend, Friday 2/21/14 I went back and couldn’t find the snowy owl in Marshall County. It made me more determined to find them. I got up early Saturday morning 2/22/14 and headed North to Lee County. Several forums I belong too as well as several Facebook groups had been posting really nice Snowy Owl photos from Lee County. Reports of 11 – 14 birds in a 8 mile block had my curiosity peaked.
I logged close to 300 miles over 9 hours and found 3 owls.
Driving that many miles and that much wheel time, other wildlife was found.
Red Tail Hawk
A total of 5 Red Fox were found. The last one was pretty funny, he just took off running and I saw something moving, so I sped up and got out of front of him. He was locked onto a skunk. He got pretty close before he turned and ran away. He went up next to a silo and really started cleaning himself. I believe he got a face full of spray. The skunk got away, and I got shots of all of it.
Saturday the temp when I started out was 23, but mid day temps got up to 33. I was mostly driving on frozen dirt roads. With all the recent rain and thaw there was at least three times the ice under the car gave way and I was axle deep busting my way through ice and water, I thought I was screwed! I hammered down and made it out, I could hear the ice hitting the bottom of the car. After the last and longest run of ice and water I backed off a couple long flooded ice floats and found a different way around. See I can learn.
My current car has never been so dirty. I stopped to hit a bathroom and grab a drink, and couldn’t get out of the car because doors were frozen shut.
What is up next on my bucket list? Not really sure, but hopefully back on a golf course in less than a month!
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Kent
Week 8 of 52: Snowy Owl
Usually don’t post my photo of the week until Friday, but this week’s had to be early. Finally found a Snowy Owl. A rare find for central Illinois.
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Kent
The topic of baiting has become a hot and controversial subject. What is baiting you might ask, some wildlife photographers are using live mice to get Owls to fly out of the tree and towards the camera. Others are using salt licks, to get deer into an open area and close to their blinds. Cat food or cans of tuna to get Bob Cat shots.
When I started shooting eagles 4 seasons ago, I learn that some people are throwing fish filled with air for the eagles. As a new eagle photographer, I actually appreciated the bait fish. Since then, I have thousands of full fame wall hanger quality Eagle photos without bait fish!
Today there was 2 different people at Lock and Dam 14 throwing fish. I am torn! The action was hot and NON-stop, but they were mostly baited. If they hadn’t been throwing fish, I feel there would have been just as much action, it just brings the action closer. I have been there for entire days and seen just as many eagles catch their own fish.
I would really like to see some open dialog on your thoughts on this topic!
Putting corn out for the squirrels, sunflower seeds for the cardinals, or even nectar in hummingbird feeders, all seem like the public is OK with that.
Feeding wild bears, cat food for Bobcats, bait piles of road kill for coyotes,,, not so much!
So, where do fish for eagles fall? Where do you draw the line?
Mice for owls? Trying to decide if I am going to breakdown and try mice tomorrow to get close to the Snowy Owls I found today.
Ready set debate!
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Kent
Week 7 of 52: Fighting American Bald Eagles
