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A Great Gray aerial battle

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Justme

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I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter between two Great Gray Owls.

The face off. Or my wing is bigger than your wing.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942381

The karate owl. Or the Owltrix?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942382

Double flying kick. Nice evasion.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942383

Face to face again. Want more?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942385

And the winner is...
http://www.pbase.com/image/39942384

--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
Justme said:
I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter
between two Great Gray Owls.

The face off. Or my wing is bigger than your wing.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942381

The karate owl. Or the Owltrix?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942382

Double flying kick. Nice evasion.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942383

Face to face again. Want more?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942385

And the winner is...
http://www.pbase.com/image/39942384

--
I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the
forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
Click to expand...
--
Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body,
but rather, to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ...
'Holy $hit...what a ride!'
Dale Broughman
http://www.thebroughmans.com
Gallery: http://24.236.232.44:1980/photos/listpics.asp

Don't forget to check out my extensive lighthouse collection while you are there!
 
cool...I wonder if they are male and female in courtship maybe?
Justme said:
I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter
between two Great Gray Owls.

The face off. Or my wing is bigger than your wing.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942381

The karate owl. Or the Owltrix?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942382

Double flying kick. Nice evasion.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942383

Face to face again. Want more?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942385

And the winner is...
http://www.pbase.com/image/39942384

--
I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the
forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
Click to expand...
--



Please do not start new thread for private message to me but send them to me via email instead! thanks.
 
It is too early in the year for that. Courtship activities are still a few months away.

Daniella wrote:
cool...I wonder if they are male and female in courtship maybe?
 
I was thinking the Matrix as well :) Image #2 looks so much like a karate pose.
Mramiga said:
Justme said:
I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter
between two Great Gray Owls.

The face off. Or my wing is bigger than your wing.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942381

The karate owl. Or the Owltrix?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942382

Double flying kick. Nice evasion.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942383

Face to face again. Want more?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942385

And the winner is...
http://www.pbase.com/image/39942384
Click to expand...
--
Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body,
but rather, to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ...
'Holy $hit...what a ride!'
Dale Broughman
http://www.thebroughmans.com
Gallery: http://24.236.232.44:1980/photos/listpics.asp
Don't forget to check out my extensive lighthouse collection while
you are there!
Click to expand...
--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
Daniella said:
cool...I wonder if they are male and female in courtship maybe?
Click to expand...
I have seen some close encounters like this previously but they were brief and not quite as interesting as this one.

In one case I heard someone remark that they might be mates but I have no idea how qualified the person was in making that kind of statement. I think it was just a guess on his part. Then last weekend I saw one Great Gray go after another Great Grays catch twice. It swooped in silently and went after the owl that had just caught a vole. It flew to a tree and then tried again.

It is very hard to tell a female and male Great Gray apart in the field. From a size perspective the female is larger looking than the male. There is an interesting article on this very thing on the ofo.ca website.

After this aerial encounter one of the owls (think it was the guy on the lower wire) flew across the street and I got to spend a lot of time photographing it. I am constantly amazed how close these Great Grays let you get to them. I was about 6 feet from the tree where one was perched today for about 15+ minutes allowing me to photograph it from very close up. It hardly paid me any attention except for the occasional glance. It flew around a bit as well.

They (at least the ones visiting here in eastern Ontario) have no fear of man whatsoever. While they may be docile now, I hear they defend their nests fiercely and have even attacked bears (from that National Geographic article). The article also mentions how it would feel to get hit by one of these guys: 'Like getting hit with a two by four with nails in it'.
Daniella68313 said:
Justme said:
I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter
between two Great Gray Owls.

The face off. Or my wing is bigger than your wing.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942381

The karate owl. Or the Owltrix?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942382

Double flying kick. Nice evasion.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942383

Face to face again. Want more?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942385

And the winner is...
http://www.pbase.com/image/39942384
Click to expand...
--



Please do not start new thread for private message to me but send
them to me via email instead! thanks.
Click to expand...
--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
Great shots! And interesting behaviour to watch. You got as close as 6 ft? I'm green with envy :)
 
C3 Owner said:
It is too early in the year for that. Courtship activities are
still a few months away.
Click to expand...
This is what I'm still trying to figure out. Some people speculate the owls will soon be leaving to mate back in their home territory north of Lake Superior and some think a few will mate right here where the food is plenty. I know there are a few owling pages on the web but can't recall reading about when Great Grays mate. Do you know of any sites with this info?
C3 Owner said:
Daniella wrote:
cool...I wonder if they are male and female in courtship maybe?
Click to expand...
--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
Eric CAN said:
I was certain they left the area !

Cool shots !
Click to expand...
Thanks Eric. No, they are still in the surrounding Ottawa area (both east and west).

What a winter we've been having, eh? We went from being deprived of owls to an over-abundance.
Eric CAN said:
--
Eric Cote

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Galleries :

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--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
Zoo Dad said:
Great shots Justme. I had one fly right at me this morning, but of
course I wasn't ready to take his pic.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jody. I know the feeling :) I was driving along today when I saw a Great Gray flying from a field headed for the road. I wasn't ready. I would have had to pull over the car and take the camera out of the bag and turn it on and check settings. I knew that, so didn't bother. It would have made for some good head on flight shots.

Just wondering how many you were able to see?
Zoo Dad said:
Justme said:
I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter
between two Great Gray Owls.
Click to expand...
--
Jody

Capturer of God's Creations.

http://www.pbase.com/jody_melanson

Click to expand...
--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
Justme said:
Eric CAN said:
I was certain they left the area !

Cool shots !
Click to expand...
Thanks Eric. No, they are still in the surrounding Ottawa area
(both east and west).
Click to expand...
I heard they're quite a number in the Kanata area near the river I believe. I presume its near the fields of Carling ave up there. I was going on the Rockliffe Parkway near BlackBurn. Went again today. Saw 3, but they were less active. One was more active, but the hunt was not that good compared to what I've seen few weeks ago.
Justme said:
What a winter we've been having, eh? We went from being deprived
of owls to an over-abundance.
Click to expand...
A friend of mine spotted 2 Snowy Owl along highway 50 over Masson-Anger area. Went there many time, never spotted them. Wish i could see them though ! As for this winter, lets say we've been privileged. From what I've heard from older birders, this is happening only once per 10 years or so. Although they could be here next winter, we can't tell.

Wish specific area you went so far this winter to spot them ?

Cheers

--
Eric Cote

--

You're feeling very sleepy, you're feeling very...



Galleries :

http://www.pbase.com/drhangar - Pbase Supporter

http://www.pbase.com/drhangar/photo_a_day -> Photo a Day, personal favorites

Equipment list in profile
 
The possibilty of a ggo nesting south is near to zero the bird will start moving north in 3 to 4 weeks when the day will strat to get longer .

Daniel
Justme said:
C3 Owner said:
It is too early in the year for that. Courtship activities are
still a few months away.
Click to expand...
This is what I'm still trying to figure out. Some people speculate
the owls will soon be leaving to mate back in their home territory
north of Lake Superior and some think a few will mate right here
where the food is plenty. I know there are a few owling pages on
the web but can't recall reading about when Great Grays mate. Do
you know of any sites with this info?
Justme said:
Daniella wrote:
cool...I wonder if they are male and female in courtship maybe?
Click to expand...
--
I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the
forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
Click to expand...
 
Great shots! I'm south of you in SW WI. I witnessed a large owl earlier this fall, but not sure what kind it was(big!). I have had plenty of good photo oppurtunities with Cedar Waxwings.
Justme said:
I had the opportunity today to witness this aerial encounter
between two Great Gray Owls.

The face off. Or my wing is bigger than your wing.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942381

The karate owl. Or the Owltrix?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942382

Double flying kick. Nice evasion.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942383

Face to face again. Want more?
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/39942385

And the winner is...
http://www.pbase.com/image/39942384

--
I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the
forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
Click to expand...
 
Burl1201 said:
Great shots! And interesting behaviour to watch. You got as close
as 6 ft? I'm green with envy :)
Click to expand...
Thanks Burl1201. I agree it's an interesting behaviour to observe with these owls. When they first arrived in our area I saw very little of this type of interaction but it seems to be more frequent now. Just this past Sunday I saw another exchange between two Great Grays but in another location. I think the stress of city living is getting to them :)

--

I know you mean well but please do not link my images into the forum. Thanks for respecting that.

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/great_gray_owls
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/nova_scotia_summer_2004
 
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