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by OntPhoto on Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:31 am
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There have been several northern hawk owl sightings this fall and winter.  One location is well known to those of us who live in eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.  I went to see the northern hawk owl in the early days when few people knew its location.  

There weren't a whole lot of birders or photographers around.  The farmer across the road drove over and got out of his vehicle.  He spoke French only and asked what the bird was on his phone.  I told him it was a chouette eperviere, French for northern hawk owl.  They've actually changed the name now to chouette boreal.  Fellow birders explained the bird to the farmer.  In the end the farmer invited us to go on his land to see the owl if we wanted, just don't go too close to the buildings.  Immediately, I thought to myself, 'I wonder how long before he regrets that invitation.  

I hadn't been back since my first visit.  I've been meaning to go back but just been too busy.  Then yesterday, January 18, 2019 I read this notice on a rare bird site (translated to English via Google).
 
"Attention!! It is now forbidden to go on the grounds of the farm and in the fields at the end of XXXX Street and XXXX Street for the (Hawk Owl). On Sunday, there were cigarette cartons, Tim Horton's cups, juice boxes and lots of cigarette butts and so on. Then the owners decided to apply their PRIVATE property law. Thank you for Respecting"
 

by david fletcher on Sun Jan 20, 2019 1:17 pm
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OntPhoto wrote:There have been several northern hawk owl sightings this fall and winter.  One location is well known to those of us who live in eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.  I went to see the northern hawk owl in the early days when few people knew its location.  

There weren't a whole lot of birders or photographers around.  The farmer across the road drove over and got out of his vehicle.  He spoke French only and asked what the bird was on his phone.  I told him it was a chouette eperviere, French for northern hawk owl.  They've actually changed the name now to chouette boreal.  Fellow birders explained the bird to the farmer.  In the end the farmer invited us to go on his land to see the owl if we wanted, just don't go too close to the buildings.  Immediately, I thought to myself, 'I wonder how long before he regrets that invitation.  

I hadn't been back since my first visit.  I've been meaning to go back but just been too busy.  Then yesterday, January 18, 2019 I read this notice on a rare bird site (translated to English via Google).
 
"Attention!! It is now forbidden to go on the grounds of the farm and in the fields at the end of XXXX Street and XXXX Street for the (Hawk Owl). On Sunday, there were cigarette cartons, Tim Horton's cups, juice boxes and lots of cigarette butts and so on. Then the owners decided to apply their PRIVATE property law. Thank you for Respecting"
Unfortunately you are not wrong...  Pretty well guarantee that people will abuse.  The general public, 
( a wide categorisation), offer mind boggling levels of ignorance whichever incident you wish to name.  Pretty well guaranteed.  Anyhow, i'm off to do a selfie on the edge of a cliff... LOL...  Just for everyones amusement, the next selfie I do will be the first...  LOL
Make your life spectacular!

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by SantaFeJoe on Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:00 pm
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david fletcher wrote:............. Anyhow, i'm off to do a selfie on the edge of a cliff... LOL...  Just for everyones amusement, the next selfie I do will be the first...  LOL
And, hopefully, not your last!!!!!

Joe
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.  -Pablo Picasso
 

by david fletcher on Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:17 pm
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SantaFeJoe wrote:
david fletcher wrote:............. Anyhow, i'm off to do a selfie on the edge of a cliff... LOL...  Just for everyones amusement, the next selfie I do will be the first...  LOL
And, hopefully, not your last!!!!!

Joe
A smile for that Joe... Absolutely... all the best...   

Just for info... 

Near where I live is a place called Beachy Head.  A good place to see Swallows arriving in April and other migrants leaving in October.  Also a place where jumpers end their lives.,    And also where a Selfy fell recently to their death.  (they literally fell while doing the selfie)... Difficult to understand the level of stupidity.  Almost as if many have lost touch with reality and live in a world of social media gratification.  

Anyway, you're safe with "not my last"..  
Make your life spectacular!

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by SantaFeJoe on Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:40 pm
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It’s actually a sad fact that many people risk their lives for a selfie:

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-45745982

Re: Ruining a place, now that the national parks are closed here in the U.S., the visitors are trashing many locations. Why can’t they simply haul out their trash to an appropriate disposal site???

https://www.businessinsider.com/photos- ... own-2019-1

If you Google “Trash at closed national parks”, you will see the problem is widespread. Pretty sad!

Joe
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.  -Pablo Picasso
 

by OntPhoto on Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:03 pm
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SantaFeJoe wrote:It’s actually a sad fact that many people risk their lives for a selfie:

Joe
Sadly.  Bikini climber known to take many selfies freezes to death after fall. It is not mentioned whether she fell while taking a selfie or just slipped while hiking.
https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/engli ... -106905165
 

by OntPhoto on Tue Jan 22, 2019 10:07 pm
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David Fletcher wrote:  Unfortunately you are not wrong. Pretty well guarantee that people will abuse.  The general public,
(a wide categorisation), offer mind boggling levels of ignorance whichever incident you wish to name.  Pretty well guaranteed.

Yes.  The people who throw trash (paper cups, cigarette butts, etc.) out their car window, or litter in the streets and parks will litter no matter where they are.  Littering is a selfish act. These same people can take up a variety of hobbies and carry their habits with them.  This includes photography.  If you don't care about littering on the streets, why would you care if you were on some nameless farmer's property?  Sad but true. 
 

by SantaFeJoe on Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:35 pm
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Here’s more bad news from the shutdown regarding Joshua Tree NP:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/11/us/calif ... index.html

Joe
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.  -Pablo Picasso
 

by Cynthia Crawford on Wed Jan 23, 2019 6:26 am
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If you belong to ebird, at least in Vermont, you will find that they will not allow reporting of the location of rare species any more. We had similar incidents while viewing a Northern Hawk Owl and a Great Grey. The police had to shoo people away for blocking traffic. I guess it speaks to both sides- birding enthusiasm and greedy,thoughtless behavior. Too bad for those who are respectful. On a funnier note, the Great Grey did not seem to mind spectators- it landed on someone's head for a brief moment!
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by SantaFeJoe on Wed Jan 23, 2019 7:38 am
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Cynthia Crawford wrote:...........On a funnier note, the Great Grey did not seem to mind spectators- it landed on someone's head for a brief moment!
That situation could have turned out much differently . Although they aren’t particularly known for aggression, I remember reading in the ‘90s about one of England’s or Europe’s prominent photographers losing his eye to a Great Gray when he approached a nest too closely and the owl attacked his head with its’ claws! I can't find the story online, but I do I, I will post it.

I don’t think this is the story, as I believe it was a Great Gray(Grey), but this could be what I was trying to remember:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/how-eric-paid-extraordinary-price-for-frame-1-3660518

Here’s another article on owls taking hats:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/06/owl-attacks-joggers-and-steals-their-hats

And another:

https://www.businessinsider.com/why-owls-are-stealing-hats-in-oregon-2015-3

And another:

https://cottagelife.com/general/great-horned-owl-attacks-skier-twice-leaving-him-with-16-puncture-wounds/

Joe
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.  -Pablo Picasso
 

by Cynthia Crawford on Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:44 am
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SantaFeJoe wrote:
Cynthia Crawford wrote:...........On a funnier note, the Great Grey did not seem to mind spectators- it landed on someone's head for a brief moment!
That situation could have turned out much differently . Although they aren’t particularly known for aggression, I remember reading in the ‘90s about one of England’s or Europe’s prominent photographers losing his eye to a Great Gray when he approached a nest too closely and the owl attacked his head with its’ claws! I can't find the story online, but I do I, I will post it.

I don’t think this is the story, as I believe it was a Great Gray(Grey), but this could be what I was trying to remember:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/how-eric-paid-extraordinary-price-for-frame-1-3660518

Here’s another article on owls taking hats:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/06/owl-attacks-joggers-and-steals-their-hats

And another:

https://www.businessinsider.com/why-owls-are-stealing-hats-in-oregon-2015-3

And another:

https://cottagelife.com/general/great-horned-owl-attacks-skier-twice-leaving-him-with-16-puncture-wounds/

Joe
Interesting stories. This was winter-not breeding season. The Owl mostly slept during the day. Peregrines are noted for aggression though. Some trails are closed here during nesting season. Serious damage!
Cynthia (Cindy) Crawford-Moderator, Photo & Digital Art
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"If I Keep a Green Bough in My Heart, the Singing Bird Will Come"  Chinese Proverb
 

by Ed Cordes on Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:22 am
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All of these stories are just disgusting! I'm always amazed by the lack of basic respect and decency that people who are supposed to appreciate nature display. It is a symptom of today's society where the individual thinks their wishes are more important than the consideration of everyone else's. This causes them to "ego out" and do things that bring attention to themselves consequences be damned. Just disgusting.
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by Paul Fusco on Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:27 pm
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Cynthia Crawford wrote:
SantaFeJoe wrote:
Cynthia Crawford wrote:...........On a funnier note, the Great Grey did not seem to mind spectators- it landed on someone's head for a brief moment!
That situation could have turned out much differently . Although they aren’t particularly known for aggression, I remember reading in the ‘90s about one of England’s or Europe’s prominent photographers losing his eye to a Great Gray when he approached a nest too closely and the owl attacked his head with its’ claws! I can't find the story online, but I do I, I will post it.

I don’t think this is the story, as I believe it was a Great Gray(Grey), but this could be what I was trying to remember:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/how-eric-paid-extraordinary-price-for-frame-1-3660518
The story of Eric Hosking has a bit of a personal connection for me. He was attacked by a tawny owl, the European counterpart to the North American barred owl. I was attacked by a barred owl a few years ago at a state park down south. I had come upon a pair of fledged barred owlets sitting on a tree branch squealing to be fed. I stopped my car and got my gear out to get some shots. With 600mm lens on my tripod I stepped gently into the woods where I could get a somewhat clean photo. There were two of them at eye level in a nice setting. I thought "this is great!"  Then suddenly I was clobbered in the side of my head. Almost knocked me off my feet. I turned around quickly thinking someone had snuck up behind me only to find nothing but quiet. I looked up and there was a big female barred sitting on a branch looking down at me. The side of my head was bleeding and I felt like Mike Tyson just hit me. I was not playing any calls and I didn't think I was too close to the youngsters (about 70+ feet). I guess the owl was just feeling ornery that day.
The lucky part about this experience was that I did not hear the owl coming. If I had I would have turned my head toward the sound and it probably would have struck me in the eye. 
In the end, I moved up against a tree trunk for cover and got some shots before getting out of there.
Paul
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