The Observation Deck

What Metroparks have branded the Hoggsback Owls, as shot 04.24.2011 sunset. Most of
these photos are shot with a 1000mm lens. It is very bad to get to close or disturb them.
If the mother flies away they could get too cold even in their advance age. Also if people
get around the trees, racoons will associate the smell of humans with food, climb the tree
and possibly harm the 3 babies.

I have shot these over the past three weeks, and it is hard to get them, but I try daily
from far away, and on the other side half way down a cliff.

I will continue to post nearly daily for your enjoyment.


Mom with one of the three babies.


Mom not happy with me walking across field.


Two of the three babies.


Over 200 yards away and they never take their eye off you.


Look at those eyes!


From the other side of the river, they still watch, which is why you cannot get too
close or the birds will freak and the babies possibly die!

More photos as I take them, this will be updated regularly.

These birds are in Lakewood, and it is great to see them here. 5 sets of nesting Peregrine
Falcons all with babies, three Bald Eagle nests with babies, photos posted after they leave
the nest. Bald Eagles are the most nervous of all raptures, and Red Tail Hawks and geese
will be nesting next.

Damn I love this town!

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Great pictures Jim! Too bad there aren't pictures of you trying to get to the place to take these pictures

Bryan Schwegler wrote:Great pictures Jim! Too bad there aren't pictures of you trying to get to the place to take these pictures

Bryan

For real! I always forget I am an old fatman, still thinking back to my youth. This winter, Steve Davis and I were driving through
The Emerald Canyon and decided to go looking to see if the Bald Eagle nest was occupied. WE parked the car, on a snowy day
with light clothing. I had some beat to death sneakers on, Steve in topsiders. WE got out and started walking back to the nest
when suddenly both us us were sliding down a pretty step hill right into a barely frozen river! Both of us stopped and we spent
the next 30minutes trying to get back up. Poorly dressed for it, and getting very cold. After 15 minutes we realized both of our
cell phones were back in the car. At the 35 minute mark Steve made it to the top with me maybe ten feet behind, when
suddenly he disappeared and went down the other side! When we got back tot he care we looked at each other and commented
on how we almost died, 500 yards from a city.

It is funny, very hard to get a clear shot of them, and it has gotten nearly impossible with the trees budding which is probably
why they grabbed this nest. The park ranger told me it was a goose nest last year, which surprised me as did the geese in the
trees I posted last week. And is a Red Tail Hawk nest later in the spring.

Yeah it was pretty funny, watching me climb down a cliff, instead of falling down or over a cliff.

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Jim,

These pics are phenomenal!!!! Thank you so much for taking them and sharing them. I had NO IDEA we had an owl nest in Lakewood!



.... Natalie Schrimpf (a.k.a. lifelong bird enthusiast)

We had three baby owls that camped out in our backyard last year. Our kids got a close up look at nature. It was amazing. They were literally waist high in a tree next to our driveway for most of the evenings (the owls, not the kids). We were able to get within a couple of feet before they would fly up to a branch about eight feet off the ground. Our pictures are not as fancy as Jim's.

Corey

Corey Rossen wrote:We had three baby owls that camped out in our backyard last year. Our kids got a close up look at nature. It was amazing. They were literally waist high in a tree next to our driveway for most of the evenings (the owls, not the kids). We were able to get within a couple of feet before they would fly up to a branch about eight feet off the ground. Our pictures are not as fancy as Jim's.

Corey

Hey Corey,

Even if your pictures are "not as fancy," it would be great to see them. Can you post them?

Betsy Voinovich

04.23.2011

It would seem they made it through the storms.


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