The Art of Photography Studio forum: Birds
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| My family and I travelled to Blackwater NWR in Cambridge, MD last Saturday, for the 10th annual Eagle Festival. I looked forward to this trip for weeks, and wished for 60 degrees and sunshine! Well... I got half my wish anyway! It was almost 60 degrees, but it rained.... And rained, and rained and rained! For photos, it was dark and drizzly, so I didn't get much outdoors. Blackwater is known for their eagle population, and I did see quite a few eagles! I had seen wild eagles in the past, but I had never photographed them. This is my first eagle shot!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| We spent most of the day indoors, and under the tents! That's OK though... there was plenty to see and do. Several groups had captive birds on display and in presentations. These are beautiful, well cared for birds that have been previously injured and cannot be returned to the wild. Each one has a story, though some I did not get to know their story. I did try to photograph them all, and I would like to share them with you! This is "Zool", an Eurasian Eagle Owl. Zool is not a previously injured owl, but simply an ambassador for such presentations. He's huge and quite a looker!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| A Great Horned Owl - male. I only know that he was hit by a car.
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| A Red-tailed Hawk - female She was stunning, and had the saddest story of all. She flew into power lines and broke her left wing. The people who found her did not take her to a vet or rehab facility, but decided they would keep her as a pet in a screend-in porch! When they were discovered and turned into authorities, she was finally turned over to the rehab facility that has her now, but it was too late to fix her wing. They said had she been seen and fixed in the beginning, she could have returned to the wild.
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| Now for my favorite! I was so thrilled to find out they had a barn owl at the festival! She made my whole trip worthwhile! What a beauty! I never tire of looking at them! Barn Owl - female
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| Our thrill didn't end there! My oldest daughter loves owls and has read alot about them too. She was able to answer so many of the questions posed by the handler, that the woman surprised us all by letting Jess put the glove on and hold the barn owl for a few minutes! My daughter was so excited and it made her day. I know she will never forget it!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| Eastern Screech Owl - red phase - male He was hit by a car and suffered a brain injury. Just as calm and cute as can be! His handler said, "Lights on, nobody home."
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| Eastern Screech Owl - brown phase - female She is completely blind in both eyes (why she won't look up). She is buddies with the little guy above, and enjoys cuddling with him!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| One more Eastern Screech Owl - red phase Hit by a car and obviously blind in left eye. Reminds me of a pirate with a patch on!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| A Raven - male He's been with this group a while and can supposedly talk. These birds are HUGE in person!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| A Broad-shouldered Hawk
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| An American Kestrel - male These are gorgeous little birds!
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| American Kestrel - female
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| Oh Karen! These aren't just birds. They are Fabulous Birds of Prey! My Goodness you had each and every one of them posing just for you. Awesome shots. ALL of them! I love your opening shot of the eagle. There's something so majestic about eagles that just make you want to put your hand over your heart and salute them. On Dave's Garden, I always loved Linthicum's eagle threads and was floored at some of the shots he got of them. I wish the weather had been better for you to have taken more outside shots. Those you took inside were simply superb! As I read about each one and opened up the photo my mouth was hanging open at the clarity of your photos. Thank you so much for sharing your photos and narrating them as well. I feel like I was there. Bravo!!! And Jess... what a lucky gal she is to have held that beautiful barn owl. Definitely a thrill of a lifetime that she will tell her kid and grandkids about. :-) Janet |
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| Thanks Janet! Jessie will not soon forget it, and all of us had a great time! It is so awe-inspiring to be that close to birds like that. Some of them are so much bigger in person that you imagine... the raven and red-tailed hawk especially! There was one captive eagle there too... I still have to do some editing on those photos, but she was HUGE!!! I will post her photo when I have some ready. Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| I'll be looking forward to seeing them. I could tell from the photos that those were some waybigo birds. The only time I've seen some of those "close up" is at the Renaissance Festival and even then it's not really up close. |
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| Here is a bird we spotted this evening behind our complex. I was so excited I did the happy dance! Pileated Woodpecker
Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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| I've only seen one of those in my life and I was sitting in a box blind and couldn't get a good photo of him. That is a great shot Karen! Reminds me of when I was a kid and watched Woody Woodpecker! |
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| That's what my hubby calls him! Instead of running to be perfect, why not just walk in faith? |
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 Sounds like my kind of guy! |
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