# Guess who I FINALLY saw!!!!



## coastalconn (Dec 2, 2013)

Woke up late and checked the CT Bird list.  Crap Snowy Owl reported 10 miles away at 8 am.  It was already 10..  Zippity Zap dressed and out of the house 5 minutes later at 10:30.  I got there and the Snowy was still chilling in the same spot.  WOOHOOOO!!!   It was pretty grey and overcast but I made due... comments welcome 

1



My first Snowy Owl!!!! pose 5 by krisinct, on Flickr

2



My first Snowy Owl!!!! pose 6 by krisinct, on Flickr

3



My first Snowy Owl!!!! 1 by krisinct, on Flickr

4



My first Snowy Owl!!!! 2 by krisinct, on Flickr

5



My first Snowy Owl!!!! 3 by krisinct, on Flickr

More here if you like Snowy Owls...  Snowy Owl - a set on Flickr


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## SnappingShark (Dec 2, 2013)

Awesome!!!

I'm not going to critique the photos because just seeing, is believing 

However, the last shot, is my fave!!


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## runnah (Dec 2, 2013)

What is the site?


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## Derrel (Dec 2, 2013)

They are unusual looking birds! Reminds me of Pixmedic, with the mustache that covers up some of the prominent facial features! LOL!


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## RichieT (Dec 2, 2013)

Nice shots! You got some nice ones of her in flight.


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## ronlane (Dec 2, 2013)

That is a pretty bird there. Nice capture.


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## snowbear (Dec 2, 2013)

Stunning.


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## The_Traveler (Dec 2, 2013)

That's a plastic owl and you are just trying to snow us.


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## astroNikon (Dec 2, 2013)

Amazing .. about all I can think of

other than .. there's a bird sighting list ??


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## Braineack (Dec 2, 2013)

awesome shots. love #2.


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## ruifo (Dec 2, 2013)

Great shots!!


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## DarkShadow (Dec 2, 2013)

I don't like you no more  J/K. I have not seen any owls and not for the lack of trying.


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## pjaye (Dec 2, 2013)

I am so jealous!!! Stunning pictures. Last one is my favorite.


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## MSnowy (Dec 2, 2013)

Nice set. Where did you end up finding this one?


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## hopdaddy (Dec 2, 2013)

Way to go ! High Five !


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## robbins.photo (Dec 2, 2013)

Amazing captures.. really appreciate you sharing them!


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## baturn (Dec 2, 2013)

Can't guess hoo, but does it rhyme with cowl? all great stuff, but I pick #4.


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## shefjr (Dec 2, 2013)

F-u! I quit! 










Congrats Kris! Nice captures as always.


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## matthewo (Dec 2, 2013)

well done.


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## coastalconn (Dec 2, 2013)

runnah said:


> What is the site?





astroNikon said:


> Amazing .. about all I can think of
> other than .. there's a bird sighting list ??


For me it is CTbirding.org I think most states have a bird list where people report their sightings..  It all ends up on the ebird list..  http://ebird.org/ebird/eBirdReports?cmd=Start  click range and point maps.  enter your desired bird and your location and it will show you pinpoint locations in your area if you zoom in..



MSnowy said:


> Nice set. Where did you end up finding this one?


Hammonasset State Park in Madison, CT..



hopdaddy said:


> Way to go ! High Five !



Thank you so much everyone!  This is the bird I have been wanting to get ever since I picked up a camera.  Hopefully next time I will have some better light.


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## Rick50 (Dec 2, 2013)

They all good. What a bird!


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## WesternGuy (Dec 3, 2013)

Kris, great shots and congrats on your first snowy.

WesternGuy


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## Aloicious (Dec 3, 2013)

winning the KEH contest and getting a snowy! nice job!


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## sm4him (Dec 3, 2013)

And STILL no owls for me!  
Those are terrific, Kris--it's always SO exciting to find a new bird you've been watching for!

There are reports that Snowys have already been spotted as far south as Louisville, KY and Raleigh, NC--Matthew, you should definitely be on the lookout in your area!
I'm hoping that maybe the miraculous will happen and Tennessee will get a Snowy or two this year!



astroNikon said:


> Amazing .. about all I can think of
> 
> other than .. there's a bird sighting list ??



Yeah, for practically EVERY state, how about that?? Birders are intense, man. You report a rare bird in your area, and every birder in the state will change their plans, take off from work, and come to that spot to see if they can find the bird. I know because that's what happened when I saw a brown pelican here last Memorial Day. And then this past summer, I got to see a Scissor-Tailed Kite (yeah, it's a bird--a raptor at that!) because of the reports posted by someone else. Every day *I* went to look for it, there were at least 3 or 4 other people there looking for it as well.  But I was one of the lucky few who actually did get to see it!



DarkShadow said:


> I don't like you no more  J/K. I have not seen any owls and not for the lack of trying.


You and me both, DarkShadow! I swear, the owls are really starting to tick me off!


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## KenC (Dec 3, 2013)

Terrific shots.  Thanks - I've never seen one of these and now I feel like I have.  I especially like the first one, which shows the enormous feet and also the fluffed-up feathers - it must have been trying to intimidate you.


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## coastalconn (Dec 3, 2013)

Thank you everyone!


Aloicious said:


> winning the KEH contest and getting a snowy! nice job!


I think it was my second best day ever with a camera.  My Osprey shot will be really hard to beat for me personally.  Seeing my first Snowy was amazing after waiting so long.



sm4him said:


> And STILL no owls for me!
> Those are terrific, Kris--it's always SO exciting to find a new bird you've been watching for!
> 
> There are reports that Snowys have already been spotted as far south as Louisville, KY and Raleigh, NC--Matthew, you should definitely be on the lookout in your area!
> ...


"birders" are a funny group, glad I fall into the bird photographer genre, although I did go on a wild goose chase, well actually a wild Fork-Tailed flycatcher chase, yeaterday, only to get there and hear oh you just missed him, it was incredible   I got a shot from a million miles away.. oh well..



shefjr said:


> F-u! I quit!
> Congrats Kris! Nice captures as always.


 



matthewo said:


> well done.





WesternGuy said:


> Kris, great shots and congrats on your first snowy.
> WesternGuy


Thank you kindly!  Matt keep your eyes open for reports down there!


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## sm4him (Dec 3, 2013)

coastalconn said:


> sm4him said:
> 
> 
> > And STILL no owls for me!
> ...



Yeah, I'm definitely still a Bird Photographer, not a Birder! What I meant was that it's generally the "real" birders who spend all the time creating lists and reporting sightings. WE then get the benefit of using their information to find birds that frankly, I'd probably NEVER find on my own.

I heard about that Fork-tailed flycatcher in CT and wondered if you'd seen it; hope you get another chance at it!


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## shefjr (Dec 3, 2013)

Those website reports are pretty sweet. That is how I found out there was a Brown Booby up near the niagara river. They don't actually touch anything in the states other than maybe the very tip of Florida. Sadly though she was too far of a reach for any sort of quality photo. :/


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## DarkShadow (Dec 3, 2013)

Happy for Kris you got the snowy shots you wanted and good ones as well. I could picture it now, jumping in the car, truck or whatever and speeding to where the snowy was last seen and before you even stop the camera is already hanging out to car window getting focus locked on target.

I probably would have got arrested for driving reckless from a adrenaline rush.


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## EAMArt (Dec 6, 2013)

MAN!!!! I looked at the pictures and remembers all the other ones I seen from you and thought to myself. "Where the hell do you live." And then I read your comment. lol
You always do a great job!


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## JayO (Dec 6, 2013)

Awesome shots!


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## TKD (Dec 9, 2013)

Beautiful capture!


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