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Archive 2014 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying

  
 
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


I'm all setup at Top Jimmy's favorite hunting perch, just waiting for him to fly towards me and land there as he'd done in the past. Looking elsewhere for harriers for awhile, I returned my gaze to see some white wings flapping quickly in the distance, but there were two snowies staying put on the ground. I wasn't sure where Dolly Dagger came from as I was looking elsewhere for awhile. I thought they may be mating so I was nervously trying to shoot the action from a distance with no more light as the sun was weak and about to set. As I shot images I noticed that it was actually Dolly pinning Jimmy on his back for 11 seconds, according to my EXIF info. It was going on at least 3 seconds before I even acquired focus and started shooting. These are heavy crops at higher iso's, so the IQ is not excellent, but I thought some folks here would like to see this kind of unique behavior.
The following set is Dolly chasing Jimmy off to another area a few times. For a week, Jimmy was only allowed to perch in a distant corner of the farm, further away from the preferred hunting grounds. When he'd come out late afternoon to hunt, she'd chase him to another perch.


Herb

#1-5 Smack Down





#1 Jimmy's being held down on the ground, his head to the right behind weeds







#2







#3







#4 Jimmy's got a talon up in defense







#5 Let me out of here !!!



Edited on Mar 02, 2014 at 02:02 PM · View previous versions



Mar 02, 2014 at 01:45 PM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying



#6 escaping from the Smack Down

#7-10 the bullying....





#6 That girl is crazy !!!







#7 and here's the bullying, Jimmy effortlessly dodges her attack







#8







#9







#10




Mar 02, 2014 at 01:50 PM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying



#11-15





#11 I'll just land here







#12 Yeah right :D







#13







#14







#15 She just keeps coming




Mar 02, 2014 at 01:54 PM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying



#16-20 Thanks for looking.





#16







#17







#18







#19







#20




Mar 02, 2014 at 01:57 PM
KCollett
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


That is some pretty neat behavioral action Herb. Nicely captured.


Mar 02, 2014 at 02:14 PM
BeeBalm
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Hello Herb,
Wow you did good trying to capture them since they arrived so fast and you were looking in different direction for Harriers

I went photographing Snowy Owls the other day with snow everywhere my first time and it surely is difficult never having practiced on a bird that is white and the surroundings white too and I had sunny conditions which was more difficult it was hard seeing my graph.

So I you! These are terrific! How lucky you are to have a male and female together in your captures! Your adrenalin must of been going non stop! Wow!

Congrats!!
BeeBalm

Edited on Mar 02, 2014 at 02:33 PM · View previous versions



Mar 02, 2014 at 02:30 PM
MS PHOTO
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


What a awesome behavioral set Herb,
Paul



Mar 02, 2014 at 02:30 PM
surgemaster
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Thanks for sharing, Herb. It was nice to see the behavior through your eyes.
Rex

Edited on Mar 02, 2014 at 07:20 PM · View previous versions



Mar 02, 2014 at 02:41 PM
Martin Good
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Thanks Herb for this story illustrated so well by these fine pics in difficult conditions.
Jimmy looks a bit on the small side in comparison to Dolly.
Martin



Mar 02, 2014 at 03:41 PM
Ted ellis
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Great behavioral set Herb

Ted



Mar 02, 2014 at 03:45 PM
mogul
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Predators can have a rough time with the mating ritual...really shows the size difference of male and female. Those are really fun shots to view.


Mar 02, 2014 at 03:50 PM
kmunroe
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


a sweet action set Herb


Mar 02, 2014 at 03:50 PM
jkochuni
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Great photos! I love the look on the face of the snowy owl in shot #10.


Mar 02, 2014 at 05:00 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Killer action Herb!! Wow your heart must have been pounding!!

Tim



Mar 02, 2014 at 05:04 PM
genemiller
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Great captures, Herb! Photographing a male and female interacting is surely a treat.

GENE



Mar 02, 2014 at 05:25 PM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


KCollett wrote:
That is some pretty neat behavioral action Herb. Nicely captured.


Thanks Kenny



Mar 02, 2014 at 06:25 PM
dkapp2536
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Outstanding work Herb. #16 stands out for me. TFS

Dave



Mar 02, 2014 at 07:13 PM
birdied
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


Wonderful set Herb ! 13, 15, 17, 18, 19 and 20 are really special.

Birdie



Mar 02, 2014 at 07:35 PM
morris
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


13, 15, 19 and 20 for me Herb

Morris



Mar 02, 2014 at 08:07 PM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Snowy Owl Smack Down and Bullying


BeeBalm wrote:
Hello Herb,
Wow you did good trying to capture them since they arrived so fast and you were looking in different direction for Harriers

I went photographing Snowy Owls the other day with snow everywhere my first time and it surely is difficult never having practiced on a bird that is white and the surroundings white too and I had sunny conditions which was more difficult it was hard seeing my graph.

So I you! These are terrific! How lucky you are to have a male and female together in your captures! Your adrenalin must of been going non stop! Wow!

Congrats!!
BeeBalm


Thanks so much BB, I sure appreciate it.



Mar 02, 2014 at 09:41 PM
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