Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Andygod on February 16, 2013, 05:34:49 PM

Title: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: Andygod on February 16, 2013, 05:34:49 PM

Very cold with blowing snow today, not a good day for taking pictures, but it's my only day off so I thought I would head down to Frenchmans Bay to see if the snowy owl was still there.  There were people out on the ice fishing, but I am very nervous on ice.  Hopefully he will be there when the ice is thicker and the sun is shining.
(http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr25/VTX_Andygod/Birds/AIMG_8476_zps9bdf3020.jpg)

(http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr25/VTX_Andygod/Birds/AIMG_8485_zps47342c34.jpg)

(http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr25/VTX_Andygod/Birds/AIMG_8482_zpsddff5096.jpg)

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: cosmo3667 on February 16, 2013, 06:57:18 PM

I was there Friday and noted the owl dead center of te Bay but not a single person out on the ice so I stayed off too and came "Home" empty handed

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: Rotarran on February 25, 2013, 08:54:13 PM

That's as close as I got today:

(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/P2251558_zpsc956de96.jpg)

(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/P2251559_zps707a298a.jpg)

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: BoboBird on February 26, 2013, 01:38:27 AM

Cool shots.

What distance was she from you guys?

What size lens are you both using?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: cloaca on February 26, 2013, 06:26:02 AM

Those are two different owls.

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: Rotarran on February 26, 2013, 10:19:05 AM

Could be two different owls, I noticed that the bird in my pics is lighter...but I just attributed that to my poor camera.

I'm using an Olympus point and shoot with 36x zoom.  I got it on sale during boxing week ($130) so it is what it is.  

I was about 200m away from the bird when I took the closest picture.  It wouldn't let me much closer than that.  The camera is ok for some situations but I often get frustrated with its low light performance and long focus time.  

I'm looking at the Nikon 50x zoom which goes for $399 at Best Buy.  That's the most I can afford and I read some good things about it...definitely an improvement over the Olympus.  Still nowhere near a SLR but I can't afford an SLR...even the $399 is beyond my budget so I'm struggling with this decision.

Title: Re: Snowy Owl at Frenchmans Bay
Post by: Andygod on February 27, 2013, 07:52:56 AM

I took my picture using a Canon D40 and a Sigma 150-500 zoom.  I was further away, probably 300-400 meters zoomed in all the way and it was snowing fairly heavily.  I had to adjust the contrast in photoshop to get any kind of decent results, that couls account for the colour difference.  I am heading to Amherst Island today to look for more, but the weather doesn't seam to want to co-operate.  Unfortunately this is my only day off this week and all the owls will be heading north soon.