Beautiful series, love it. My faves are #s 1 thru 13 (although #11 isn't doesn't do much for me ).
I feel like I'm watching an episode of Wild America w/ Marty Stouffer. Great work.
edit: the comment about #11 was a joke because there was no image showing at all (thought it would be funny). But I just looked again and it popped up - wow, another winner!
Mykayel wrote:
Awesome pictures, I really like 1 and 3... but I couldn't see how it wasn't baited and used to being baited. Any owl I've ever seen in the wild I've had trouble getting within 50 yards of it before it would fly out of a tree, yet alone getting one to litght on your tripod...
This type of Owl is extremely approachable around here, bait or no bait. We have also had Barred Owls and Great Gray Owls that are very approachable without bait around here. It's awesome!
The reason he landed on the tripod is: we were out in a field and there were no trees around. A Hawk Owl likes to perch on the highest tree/thing around.
That being said, some of these pictures were captured by using feeder Mice. I thought death by an Owl was more dignified than being eaten by a Snake! The death is quick from an Owl. He grabs the Mouse and if the talons don't kill it, he lifts it and severs the spine with his beak ending the Mouse's life.
This is the only way to get these kind of images unless you are extremely lucky. There was an older photographer there one day and he said he has been waiting 35 years for an opportunity like this.
I don't want to get into ethics here, as you have three or four sides to this.
1. People that don't like baiting and will never change their minds on the subject.
2. People that do bait conscientiously and with thought for the Raptor's well being and will never change their minds on the subject.
3. Fence sitters that don't have an opinion one way or the other.
I don't think any of them are wrong, just different is all. As long as one side doesn't try to force their opinion on the other side, there isn't a problem. Every one is entitled to their own opinion no matter what others think, IMHO .
Incredible Jody, I hope you do the photoshop class somewhere where we can all have access, ie. web based. You have a lot of great techniques that could benefit everyone.
On the baiting issue...... everyone with a bird feeder does the same thing. Wild birds in general are learning to live with us and becoming very urban. Not that it's right or wrong it's just the birds adapting. Here in Indiana there were no Eagles 50 years ago and now through the Eagle re-introduction program there are now several hundred, yeah!
Greg Schneider wrote:
Wasn't criticizing you for baiting it, I was just curious...
Once my 500 is back from calibration I'd love to go shoot the NHO with the "gang" from FM/NSN.
Edited by Greg Schneider on Jan 07, 2008 at 01:25 PM GMT
Sorry Greg, since you just asked about baiting and didn't comment good or bad on the photos, I took it as bad. I'm a little sensitive I guess since I have been getting some not pleasant emails from a select few of the "birders" that think they have the right to harass people that don't give in to their bullying.
I don't think I will be going back to see him unfortunately as I want to shoot some Eagles, Snowy Owls, Rough Legged Hawks, etc...this Winter.
RAMcG wrote:
I just pop in every now and again to see what the folks on the nature and wildlife board are doing. Man, these are so unbelievably sharp and crisp. Truly outstanding. The eyes are incredible.
Well thanks RAMcG for stopping by and leaving the generous comments! Hope you enjoy your stay and don't be a stranger!
Gee thanks! Once more I am left staring at my monitor, shaking my head, mumbling to myself -- wow, wow. Just amazing shots! When is National Geographic going to get to you? They got Mr. Zoom and you are long over due. Wonderful shots that are a hell of lot more fun to look at than a bunch of close up shots of kidney stones that left me staring at my monitor saying -- ouch, o-shit, awwww - I hope I never get them. Again thanks! Steve W
It is an interesting topic about baiting. Persoanlly I don't do it but have no objection about people doing it either, as long as the wildlife does not suffer any consequence. Baiting can be with food or in other forms like a place to rest/nest without being worry about hunters, as in a National Wildlife Refuge, or Alligator Farm in Florida. I did take the benefit of shooting in NWR and Alligator Farm.
Bait or no bait, it still takes a lot of effort and talent to get wonderful shots like this. I am sure glad that you did it and shared with us, who will otherwise never have a chance to see beautiful creature like this. Thank you, Jody.
).
I'm glad you enjoyed the images. 
Awesome series Master!