As a birder, I always have a tough time spotting and photographing owls. Now, surely, I don't expect to see a river of them flying by, as in this shot of snow geese passing over the freeway in Nebraska. Nor as easy to spot as this screech owl was. It took up residence in a wood duck house that I put up in my woods. But it's tough to get a shot.
Very rarely, I might see a Great Horned in the woods. I never see them before they fly off though and disappear quickly through the trees. Again rarely, I might hear a Barred Owl calling at night in my woods. "Who cooks for me? Who cooks for me?" That's it. A distant call in the night. Otherwise zilch.
Very rarely, I might see a Great Horned in the woods. I never see them before they fly off though and disappear quickly through the trees. Again rarely, I might hear a Barred Owl calling at night in my woods. "Who cooks for me? Who cooks for me?" That's it. A distant call in the night. Otherwise zilch.
Now the highly respected DNR (Department of Natural Resources) here in Minnesota has apparently made it even more difficult. I came upon this sign last summer while troutfishing in Beaver Creek State Park. 
So now the owls aren't allowed to hoot and photograpers can't shoot in our local state parks?Mmmm. Or maybe I missed something here?
What can that sign mean? I am totally mystified. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf I was an owl I would ignore the sign. Not sure what advice to give to photographers, though.
ReplyDeleteThe Owls will probably ignore the sign just as the deer ignore the deer crossing signs. The nerve.
ReplyDeleteYou have your very own Screech Owl? What a treat.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it isn't totally obvious the green shrub on the sign was vandalism. Covering an s....:)
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it mean you can't call owls in by imitating them? Birders call the birds at night and then when they get really close, by their sound, shine a light on them to photograph them or just get a good look at them. Maybe it disrupts their nesting or hunting.
ReplyDeleteHi troutbirder, My goodness sakes ... that is a LOT of birds in that river of owls! Amazing photo there! I do find the sign interesting. I suppose these days there is a difference between shooting and hunting? Neat post, thanks, as always.
ReplyDeletePerhaps hunters hoot to call owls. So the DNR put up this sign that is really up for interpretation I think. --- barbara
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, I'm hooting here!!
ReplyDeleteHello. I just caught myself up by reading five or six posts. That's a lot of posts and it doesn't seem like I've been away that long. Either I'm slowing down or you're speeding up.
ReplyDeleteI guess the problem is that I'm way too busy, and by "busy" I mean disorganized. It was pleasant catching up though. Thanks for putting in the effort to make it all so entertaining and interesting and funny.