# Finally found some Snowys!



## jsecordphoto (Nov 22, 2014)

Spent sunrise to sunset yesterday along The NH/MA seacoast with one goal in mind- finding some snowys. I actually saw one within 5 minutes, but the light was just...meh. I ended up seeing 3 throughout the day, but got to spend a few hours over the afternoon photographing this one. The best part was there was nobody else around, and once the owl got used to me (I was still pretty far away, but the ones I've seen are very skittish), I was able to grab some photos of it more relaxed, preening, and just looking around for food. Of the few hundred photos, this one was one my favorites. 


 

The dunes it was hanging around in is blocked off, and is marked conservation area. There were still a lot of footprints and worse, tripod holes, around the dunes. I'm already seeing evidence of unethical behavior with these owls, and it's just the start of winter. I had a lot of people ask me on FB and Instagram where I saw this one, and get mad when I wouldn't tell them....


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## Hunter58 (Nov 22, 2014)

That's a very nice shot.  You have a lot of patience and perseverance.


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## pjaye (Nov 22, 2014)

That's a great shot. I too, don't share where I've seen the owls on facebook. I have one fellow photographer who I message with locations and he does the same with me.


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## baturn (Nov 22, 2014)

Very nice! It's too bad that people don't respect conservation areas and therefore we can't share locations like this with just anyone.


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## coastalconn (Nov 22, 2014)

Congrats!  Nothing better than being alone with a glorious raptor!  I get bombarded with questions about my locations and I have learned never to share...


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## D-B-J (Nov 22, 2014)

Beautiful shot man. Is that with the Tamzooka?


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 22, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Beautiful shot man. Is that with the Tamzooka?



It is indeed


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## Mangelo (Nov 22, 2014)

Outstanding !!!


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## D-B-J (Nov 22, 2014)

jsecordphoto said:


> D-B-J said:
> 
> 
> > Beautiful shot man. Is that with the Tamzooka?
> ...



Damn... I've been looking into 35's... Maybe i need to reconsider my next lens purchase..


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 22, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Damn... I've been looking into 35's... Maybe i need to reconsider my next lens purchase..



I was going through the same thing, I was trying to decide between the Sigma 35 Art and the Tamron. I'm glad I picked the Tammy, and I might grab a 35 once it's Milky Way season again because it's a great focal length for that. But for now, I'm really happy with my decision....this lens hasn't left my camera since I bought it


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## D-B-J (Nov 22, 2014)

jsecordphoto said:


> D-B-J said:
> 
> 
> > Damn... I've been looking into 35's... Maybe i need to reconsider my next lens purchase..
> ...



That's exactly the conundrum I'm facing. I mean, I have time. Still a few months on the D800 and Tammy payment. [emoji16]


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## WesternGuy (Nov 22, 2014)

Great shot!  If they are back in your area, they must be back in my part of the world - well I needed something to do tomorrow.  Time to think about looking for them.

WesternGuy


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## 18.percent.gary (Nov 23, 2014)

jsecordphoto said:


> The dunes it was hanging around in is blocked off, and is marked conservation area. There were still a lot of footprints and worse, tripod holes, around the dunes. I'm already seeing evidence of unethical behavior with these owls, and it's just the start of winter. I had a lot of people ask me on FB and Instagram where I saw this one, and get mad when I wouldn't tell them....


Yep, I was there the other day and some idiots were trampling their way over the fence. I had a word with them after the owl bolted and the guy with $30,000 worth of Canon wildlife gear tried to play dumb with me. Mhm...

Last winter my friend documented people in a car feeding the Rye Harbor Snowy live mice... as in they sat in their nice warm car eating McDonalds while trying to lure the owl to them with the mice. Apparently they had a big tupperware container of mice in the back seat. Seriously.
One time I had to confront another photographer who was throwing rocks "towards" the same owl to "get it's attention". WTF is wrong with people...


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 23, 2014)

18.percent.gary said:


> Yep, I was there the other day and some idiots were trampling their way over the fence. I had a word with them after the owl bolted and the guy with $30,000 worth of Canon wildlife gear tried to play dumb with me. Mhm...
> 
> Last winter my friend documented people in a car feeding the Rye Harbor Snowy live mice... as in they sat in their nice warm car eating McDonalds while trying to lure the owl to them with the mice. Apparently they had a big tupperware container of mice in the back seat. Seriously.
> One time I had to confront another photographer who was throwing rocks "towards" the same owl to "get it's attention". WTF is wrong with people...



yeah, I heard about both of those situations last year. I've been meeting a lot of people around Plum Island with more camera gear than manners or ethics around wildlife.


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## 18.percent.gary (Nov 23, 2014)

jsecordphoto said:


> 18.percent.gary said:
> 
> 
> > Yep, I was there the other day and some idiots were trampling their way over the fence. I had a word with them after the owl bolted and the guy with $30,000 worth of Canon wildlife gear tried to play dumb with me. Mhm...
> ...


If you're ever planning a trip down to the Seacoast again send me a PM, I live in the town where you took your Snowy shot. I can show you a few "unknown" spots that are usually free of the ignorant looky-loos. Or we could form a two man posse and distribute Owl Justice. Your choice.

Here's my take from last season:
Snowies - an album on Flickr


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## goooner (Nov 24, 2014)

Great shot!


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 24, 2014)

18.percent.gary said:


> jsecordphoto said:
> 
> 
> > 18.percent.gary said:
> ...



Absolutely. It'd be great to meet up with another wildlife photographer. I'm friends with a lot of local landscape photographers, but only one of them has a lens longer than 200mm so I rarely have anyone to out with


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## bribrius (Nov 24, 2014)

Really nice. Also like your mentality on wildlife and consideration. Thumbs up man!


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## Raj_55555 (Nov 24, 2014)

Nice shot JS! 


18.percent.gary said:


> One time I had to confront another photographer who was throwing rocks "towards" the same owl to "get it's attention". WTF is wrong with people...


I hate people like these, more often than not these are the kind of people who get into wildlife photography because it's cool, and not because they love nature and photography. I just don't know how to deal with these disrespectful bunch!


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 24, 2014)

bribrius said:


> Really nice. Also like your mentality on wildlife and consideration. Thumbs up man!



Thanks man, I wish more people would respect these animals. I see the same thing with people shooting landscapes, they go out and leave trash and stuff. The thing is, usually the people littering are the less serious landscape photographers...the point and shoot (no disrespect, just saying) crowd. A lot of the worst offenders I've seen around wildlife are walking around with 15 grand in gear on their tripods.


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## bulldurham (Nov 24, 2014)

Just to show you what a dick I can be, I took a pic of a wedding photographer doing a setup in the dunes btween two clearly marked "these are protected areas, keep off the dunes," signs with my cell phone then sent them to the park ranger who sent out another ranger and issued a citation to both the photographer and the idiots sitting in the dunes. To be fair, I had asked them not to go into the dunes and was told less than politely by the photog where I could stick it...she'll be shooting elsewhere from now on


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 24, 2014)

Bull if I see it, I'd do the same thing.


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## annamaria (Nov 24, 2014)

Really nice shot.  I wish people would be more respectful of wildlife.  I absolutely love nature.


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## MSnowy (Nov 24, 2014)

Nice shot. Most of the Snowys I've seen tend to sit for hours. One of the first ones I saw last year I sat with for 5hrs hoping to get a flight shot. He outlasted me because it was Super Bowl Sunday.


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## 18.percent.gary (Nov 24, 2014)

Raj_55555 said:


> I hate people like these, more often than not these are the kind of people who get into wildlife photography because it's cool, and not because they love nature and photography. I just don't know how to deal with these disrespectful bunch!


Very well said Raj...Also a lot of wildlife photographers seem more obsessed with the technical and gear aspect rather than the subject. Some photographers will come over to me to talk about the bird, others to talk about their lens.


MSnowy said:


> 5hrs hoping to get a flight shot


Lol, that sounds very familiar...


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 24, 2014)

18.percent.gary is that in Rye? Looks like the beach right next to Rye Harbor


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## 18.percent.gary (Nov 24, 2014)

jsecordphoto said:


> 18.percent.gary is that in Rye? Looks like the beach right next to Rye Harbor


Yep. That's the Snowy that was being fed mice and having rocks thrown at it. She was obviously very comfortable with people getting close to her, I'll be interested to see if she returns this year...


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## Jacaranda_wifey (Nov 25, 2014)

Love the snowy - glorious bird !!!! Nice shot


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