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This owl could have caused some real damage, but instead made for a memorable experience:

https://petapixel.com/2020/12/14/owl-la ... amouflage/

There was an incident many years ago in Europe, if I remember correctly, of a Great Gray owl blinding a photographer in one eye with its’ claws.

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:There was an incident many years ago in Europe, if I remember correctly, of a Great Gray owl blinding a photographer in one eye with its’ claws.

Joe

You are probably thinking of Eric Hosking.  I believe it was a Tawny Owl that injured his eye which was removed.  He was photographing at a nest site.  Never held it against the owl.

Jim Zipp wrote:

SantaFeJoe wrote:There was an incident many years ago in Europe, if I remember correctly, of a Great Gray owl blinding a photographer in one eye with its’ claws.

Joe

You are probably thinking of Eric Hosking.  I believe it was a Tawny Owl that injured his eye which was removed.  He was photographing at a nest site.  Never held it against the owl.

Good shout Jim.  Not holding it against the owl either.  Wikipedia highlights some stark differences and all I can add, is given the era, he added more than we could probably judge by todays standards.  

ERIC

Thanks, Jim, for the info that I heard so long ago and was foggy in my memory.

Thanks for the link, David. The story there is as I remember, other than the species.

Joe

david fletcher wrote:

Jim Zipp wrote:

SantaFeJoe wrote:There was an incident many years ago in Europe, if I remember correctly, of a Great Gray owl blinding a photographer in one eye with its’ claws.

Joe

You are probably thinking of Eric Hosking.  I believe it was a Tawny Owl that injured his eye which was removed.  He was photographing at a nest site.  Never held it against the owl.

Good shout Jim.  Not holding it against the owl either.  Wikipedia highlights some stark differences and all I can add, is given the era, he added more than we could probably judge by todays standards.  

ERIC

If I recall, he was also using a recorded call.  Bad mistake.  The owls are very defensive during nesting season and after the young have fledged.  If you are holding the call box, the owl will make a beeline for the highest part of your body, your head.  

OntPhoto wrote:

david fletcher wrote:

Jim Zipp wrote:

SantaFeJoe wrote:There was an incident many years ago in Europe, if I remember correctly, of a Great Gray owl blinding a photographer in one eye with its’ claws.

Joe

You are probably thinking of Eric Hosking.  I believe it was a Tawny Owl that injured his eye which was removed.  He was photographing at a nest site.  Never held it against the owl.

Good shout Jim.  Not holding it against the owl either.  Wikipedia highlights some stark differences and all I can add, is given the era, he added more than we could probably judge by todays standards.  

ERIC

If I recall, he was also using a recorded call.  Bad mistake.  The owls are very defensive during nesting season and after the young have fledged.  If you are holding the call box, the owl will make a beeline for the highest part of your body, your head.  

I never heard that.  From what I recall it was as he was climbing up into his photo blind that he was struck.  The eye was removed with the threat that infection could move to the other eye.  He was back in the blind the next night shooting.

[

OntPhoto said:


If I recall, he was also using a recorded call.  Bad mistake.  The owls are very defensive during nesting season and after the young have fledged.  If you are holding the call box, the owl will make a beeline for the highest part of your body, your head

.  


I don’t think you are correct, as I have never heard that. Here is an account mentioned of the incident:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/how-e ... ame-670114

Why would he need to use a recorded call and would one even be easily usable way back in 1937?

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:[

OntPhoto said:


If I recall, he was also using a recorded call.  Bad mistake.  The owls are very defensive during nesting season and after the young have fledged.  If you are holding the call box, the owl will make a beeline for the highest part of your body, your head

.  


I don’t think you are correct, as I have never heard that. Here is an account mentioned of the incident:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/how-e ... ame-670114

Why would he need to use a recorded call and would one even be easily usable way back in 1937?

Joe

Looks like you are correct.  I don't know why I was thinking that.  One birder told me he was imitating the call of an eastern screech owl and the owl hit him right in the head. When some birders go "owling", they usually do an imitation call or play back a recorded call.  It seems acceptable in some circles to imitate bird calls naturally but there may be consequences to the person - either vocalizing the call or playing back a recorded call, especially during certain times of the year. 

BTW, that is a misnomer.  "Friendly owl".  Anything but