My first LEO

[ravynne40]

I was walking, with all hope lost in seeing anything but kestrels and waterfowl today, I passed by an evergreen and stopped dead in my tracks, I heard a HOOT...I backed up, and there sitting in the evergreen soaking up the winter sun, a beautiful long eared owl before my eyes.
I am thrilled, excited, fascinated and just ready to explode! For many years these were birds from books, fairy tales, scary tales and Harry Potter! LOL!  Today my fairy tale bird has come to life.
I appologize for the fuzziness in the pictures but the thickets were just as they are named, THICK. There was no way around them without disturbing the owl.
I did use the 500mm telephoto which was great to have with me today!

Thanks to this list, the people and the wonderful birding groups I go on walks with, this would never be possible. anyways..here he/she is:

[Moira]

You did well - these are great shots!  I know what you mean about the excitement.  It's great to get your first look at something new.  I thought I would bust when a fellow birder at Amherst Island showed me to the Boreal Owl.  I felt so lucky getting a look at something really special.

[ravynne40]

Thank Moira, I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way, they truly are magical birds! its been 3 hours and I'm still  almost ready to burst into tears of joy, can't wait till the hubby gets home to tell him, he was with me yesterday when we saw a bunch of hawks while driving around, but no owls, he really wants to see a snowy as do I!
Amherst is a little far for me in the winter ('m not a good highway driver! LOL)

Irene

[MEGHAN]

Congrats Irene,
I am so happy for you.
I know the feeling you mentioned.
When I saw my first Owl, all I could do was keep saying..Oh My God, Oh My god..again and again. Then I said, Oh Yeah..take the shot idiot!! :lol:  :lol:
Great find for you.
Congrats again.
That means more to come!!

[denis]

great capture irene.
now you,re gonna want more,and more owls! they are very addicting.
denis

[Ann Brokelman]

Great captures.  LEO are hard to find and even harder to take  a good shot of.  Ann

[ravynne40]

Thanks Meghan, Denis and Ann
and yes Denis, I am very addicted!, when i got home from the grocery store there was an owl sitting in the tree above my parking spot i ran in dropped the bags and grabbed the camera!
sadly he flew off to hunt (there were a bunch of starlings making a big ruccous) I figured he went into their area

I can't wait to get out again but...work comes first LOL! so it won't be till saturday! ahhhhhhhh

[rc2009]

Very nice Irene, and congrats

[Misty01]

Great job Irene   It's very exciting when you finally spot one of these guys! Great pics to boot!