Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: skyviewer on March 01, 2011, 02:24:33 PM

Title: ALWAYS bring your camera
Post by: skyviewer on March 01, 2011, 02:24:33 PM

Damn in the past week i have missed two great opportunities.  The first was last week i saw a pileated woodpecker working in a tree near heber downs conservation area.  I was able to pull over my van at the side of the road and get great views.
Then today i am west of hwy 57 on Baseline in Bowmanville and i see a bunch of crows going crazy and dive bombing something.  Now when i set out today i figured well this job will be quick and i have to get back to my shop after so i left my camera (which i never ever do).  What was on the ground that was causing the crows to go all crazy.  Ahhh nothing but a long eared owl.  Again i could have got some great shots because he was sitting out in the open on the ground.  I'm not sure if he was on prey but he then flew into a nearby pine with the 10 or so crows in tow.  Then the poor guy had two redtails join in on the torment.  These owls have a bad rap.  Man last spring i did this and i missed a boreal owl.  Never again.  This camera will become an extension of my own body henceforth.

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Post by: Rob'in'To on March 01, 2011, 03:26:12 PM

Like Homer Simpson says "DOH!"

Hey, it's still nice to see them though.

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Post by: DaveD on March 01, 2011, 11:25:27 PM

Pics or it didn't happen!

Sure it wasn't a short eared owl?

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Post by: beresford on March 02, 2011, 03:26:21 PM

Out of curiosity where on baseline were you when you saw the owl? I live 3-4 mins away and have never seen a long-eared. I'd love to do a discrete search of the area just to see if its till hanging around.

Cheers
-Tim-

Sorry you didn't bring your camera. I've learned that the hard way with my binoculars... its amazing how much I see when I think I won't need them.

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Post by: Bird Brain on March 02, 2011, 10:18:41 PM

Quote from: "beresford"

I've learned that the hard way with my binoculars... its amazing how much I see when I think I won't need them.

Tim, I know exactly what you mean!  One day I was at the far East end of Lake Aquitaine, went to look at a bird, reached down for my binoculars only to realize that I'd left them at home.  (sigh)   To add insult to injury, I also forgot my field guide at home.  I was on a roll that day!   :shock:

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Post by: skyviewer on March 03, 2011, 12:55:29 AM

I know Dave its like that 5 foot long Muskie that took my hook last year.
I'm pretty sure that it was a long ear by the because thats what caught my eye was the ear tuffs sticking up out of the grass.  I know very weird for a LEO to be sitting in the open at noon but i'd say i'm 90% sure.  The tuffs were pretty long although it seemed larger than the other long ears i have seen this year.  I have never seen a short ear so i am unable to compare.

Title: Great Horned Owl?
Post by: thouc on March 03, 2011, 07:31:37 AM

Ear tufts and seemed larger, maybe a Great Horned Owl? Was it larger or smaller than the crows? Great Horned is larger and Long-eared smaller than a Crow.

/Thomas

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Post by: skyviewer on March 04, 2011, 08:35:12 PM

You know i think you are right Thomas I did not even think of a Great Horned but after looking at my pictures of a long ear they definitely were not as long but bigger than a short ears.  And the size it was definitely bigger than the crows.