How to flush a snowy owl ...

[ddt0725]

When it comes to any form of wildlife, idiots like this we can surely do without...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_gzY2k7P0


I'm sorry but people like this really ruffle MY feathers!!

[Jonathan Huyer]

Ouch. That type of behaviour sure gives photographers a bad name. And with that many people around, it is clearly stressful for the birds. During irruptions, the owls are already under a great deal of stress, having to migrate farther to compete for food. This is a good reminder to always put good ethics ahead of a good shot.

[HDNitehawk]

The guy is an idiot IMO.

As a good photographer though it would have been my duty to get a pic of the owl plucking his eye out, or opening a gash in his head with his talons when he got that close.

This summer at Yellowstone I made a quick stop in a turnout when I saw a woman sneaking up to a bedded elk. I doubt she realized that I was actually photographing her as she walked up to within 3 foot of the elk. When the female elk stood up and postured the gal went a bit pale, I am not sure if I were unfortunate in the fact that it didn't take a run at her or if she was fortunate it didn't. She got her close up photo of the elk and got away with no harm, however my opportunity for a great "when animals attack" pic was not filled. I guess I could have yelled or something to startle the elk and get it to attack, but I didn't want to disturb the nature of what might happen.

(In the video notice the photog off to the left, he was out of the picture through most of it but was ready for the eye gouging.)

[Kayaker72]

The photographer walking in at the end. You know, the one that hiked 2 miles to get there to finally get a picture of a snowy. The one that would have used that big glass to get some great images from a respectful distance.

Yeah, that was me a couple of weeks ago.

Guess I am still just a wee bit bitter.

But seriously, let wildlife be wild. That is why Canon invented the 400 mm lens.

[Dr Croubie]

Well, he was either shooting a nikon, or an uber-tamron, people with white-lenses have so much more class...

And was that a 600L being carried by another guy there? looked huge.


Still, given the title of this thread, I was expecting a much worse video...
*grabs owl*
*drops in bowl*
*flush*

[Sean Setters]

Well, he was either shooting a nikon, or an uber-tamron, people with white-lenses have so much more class...

And was that a 600L being carried by another guy there? looked huge.


Still, given the title of this thread, I was expecting a much worse video...
*grabs owl*
*drops in bowl*
*flush*

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who went there. :-)

[conropl]

...This summer at Yellowstone I made a quick stop in a turnout when I saw a woman sneaking up to a bedded elk. I doubt she realized that I was actually photographing her as she walked up to within 3 foot of the elk. When the female elk stood up and postured the gal went a bit pale, I am not sure if I were unfortunate in the fact that it didn't take a run at her or if she was fortunate it didn't. She got her close up photo of the elk and got away with no harm, however my opportunity for a great "when animals attack" pic was not filled. I guess I could have yelled or something to startle the elk and get it to attack, but I didn't want to disturb the nature of what might happen.

Many years ago, my wife and I were in Yellowstone, and there were constant warnings over the radio about staying away from Buffalo because about a dozen people had been gourd that year (they can run very fast actually). So what did we see... a mother with one baby in here arms, one hanging onto here hand, and a third hanging onto her pant leg as they walked out in the middle of a field to get within 10-15 feet of a mother buffalo with a very small calf. I guess the close up picture was more important than her children.

[ddt0725]

Originally Posted by Dr Croubie
Still, given the title of this thread, I was expecting a much worse video...
*grabs owl*
*drops in bowl*
*flush*

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who went there. :-)

I'll go for this for the stupid mother @ Yellowstone!

[Kayaker72]

Ha....I was about to follow up with a story from Yellowstone where I saw a father posing his entire family with their backs turned to a buffalo ~ 10 ft behind them.....

But then I remembered this:


A scanned in photo of a 19 yr old version of myself, holding an ice cream cone, in Banff Canada. Oops.....what can I say, I was young....and the elk was very pre-occupied with the shrubs......

[bob williams]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who went there. :-)

Yep, That's why I spent $7k on a big white lens, so I could get a decent shot without terrorizing the local wildlife----I would like a second chance to photograph them just in case I flub the first shot.