Block Creek Natural Area and Last Chance Forever

Both the Red and Gray Morph of the Eastern Screech Owl

I have just returned from a log weekend in the hill country of Texas.  We stayed and birded at a great place, Block Creek Natural Area-Turkey Hollow.  Almost all of photography took place at block Creek, plus we stayed right there.  The accommodations and food were excellent.  Sharron and Larry Jay have set up the area for nature photography for all skill levels..  When you stay there you become part of the family, everyone eats together.  There are multiple blind set up in many different areas of the property and the number of black-throated hummingbirds that are present is unbelievable.  The Jays can be reached at Sharron@BlockCreek.net or 830-995-4174, for further information.

I attended a three day instructional photo tour, it was not a workshop, but a chance to photograph with a professional nature photographer, Larry Ditto , who I consider my friend..  We photographed from Thursday afternoon until Sunday at lunch time.

I did run into a problem, flying out of Dallas-Fort Worth to San Antonio plane was completely full and there was no room in the overhead for my camera equipment.  Because of this I gate checked my bag and was told it would be at the baggage claim.  However, and maybe not to my surprise my camera bag did not arrive.  After checking with the baggage agent, the bag never was placed on the plane.  Not only my bag before other people did not get their bags.  I gave the the baggage agent, all my information will was going to be.  I was told that they have a flight to San Antonio every hour from Dallas-Fort Worth.  My bag should be on the next plane and they would send it to me.  I finally received my camera bag, just prior to starting the Photoshoot.  Thank God!

The plan for the first afternoon of shooting, was to photograph raptors.  Arrangements were made with "Last Chance Forever."  The Bird of Prey Conservatory located near San Antonio.  The primary mission At the Last Chance Forever is to rehabilitate and release back into the wild, injured, sick, or often birds of prey.  From the information sheet since 1978.  They have provided care for 240 to 300 raptors every year.  These birds got expert veterinary care, physical therapy, nursing exercise and their ultimate gift, release.  For more than 30 years.  They have successfully returned 65 to 80% of the birds to the natural home – the wild.

We had a chance to photograph a pair of screech owls, red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, and the Harris Hawk.  The Harris Hawk gave us a chance to get flight shots and watch it capture a lure.

Red-tailed Hawk Fluffing Its Feathers

Red-Tailed Hawk, Showing How It Got Its Name

Gray Morph Eastern Screech Owl

Red Morph Eastern Screech Owl

Great Horned Owl, with Its Mouth Open

Harris Hawk Flying Right into Your Face

Harris Hawk on Its Back Going to Catch a Lure.  This Is a Composite Picture

Last Chance Forever is a nonprofit agency that receives no federal or state funds in the all the funding come from public donations.  One of their supporters is Don Henley, one of the founding members of the musical group, The Eagles.  All donations are tax deductible, and more information can be found at their website www.lastchanceforever.org.






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A Second Eastern Screech Owl

Because of a change in Doug's schedule, we're going out birding now on Tuesdays.  Today we went out to see if we can find the Barrow's Goldeneye that has been present on the Seekonk River in Providence, Rhode Island.  We located a large raft of ducks off of River Avenue, and searching them, I did see the Barrow's Goldeneye, but was unable to obtain a photograph.

The best find of the day, was another red-phase Eastern Screech Owl.  What made this find so wonderful is that I was the one to see and discover the owl.  We decided to visit Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island.  Slowly driving up the main driveway, there were a couple of trees that look that they would damaged in the storm and had warning tape around, around the trunk.  As I pass the second tree, I noticed something unusual in a hole in the trunk.  I pulled the car over, backed up, and looked, and it was an Eastern Screech Owl, just sitting there out in the open.  So pulled off to the side, warning lights on, and out came the tripod, camera and lens.  I obtained a set of pictures, and the first one, the owl had its eyes almost completely shut, it then woke up and open up its eyes.  I then obtained some location photographs of where the owl was.  Looking at the owls pictures, it looks like it's left eye is injured.

Eastern Screech Owl and Canvasback Ducks

Eastern Screech Owl-Red Phase

It is Thursday and another day birding with Doug. Our plans today initially was to travel to Plymouth in order hopefully to see and photograph the Canvasback duck that has been seen in Plymouth harbor. I have seen canvasback ducks in the past, but the last time I had photographs one of them was over 30 years ago. However, a plans got changed when last night nice lady, Linda, who had met a week or so ago while I was photographing at Jenney pond in Plymouth and who is a birder, called me and told me a boat a red-faced screech owl at Sagamore Beach. It was at a house that used to live in and was visiting and found that at the end of the driveway and she hoped I could have a chance to go down and see and photograph it. So, rather than starting out in Plymouth we travel down to Sagamore Beach to the location and then a hole in a tree right at the side of the driveway and after me doing a screech owl call, the screech owl appeared in the whole and watched us and I was able to get some nice photographs of it.

Eastern Screech Owl-Red Phase

We then traveled to visit the Cape Cod Canal, with a tide was extremely high and mainly the usual birds were present but no alcids were there. We finally ended up at Plymouth harbor and found the canvasback's out on the water and I was able to take some photographs, not the best because of the distance, but it does show both the male and female canvasback flapping their wings.

Canvasback-male

Canvasback-female

Right now, at home we are preparing for the blizzard that is coming and hopefully we will not lose power, but we have enough food to sustain us until it's all over.

New England Owls

Eastern Screech Owl photographed at Mount Auburn Cemetery

New England has had a total of 12 different species of owls reported.  Of those twelve,  I have photographed six  of the species and have heard one other in New England.  Of the very rarest owl reported - Burrowing Owl, I photographed the burrowing owl in Florida and in California.  I am hoping to observe and photograph the remaining species.


Great Horned Owl  (Bubo virginianus)

Great-horned Owl photograph that Mount Auburn Cemetery

Great-horned Owl, juvenile, photographed at Great Neck Audubon Sanctuary

Barred Owl  (Strix varia)

Barred Owl photographed at the Boston Public Gardens

Eastern Screech Owl  (Megascops asio)

Eastern Screech Owl photographed at an owl prowl at the Stone Barn, Allens Pond Audubon Sanctuary

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

Snowy Owl photographed at Duxbury Beach

Snowy Owl photographed at Duxbury Beach

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

Short-eared Owl photographed at Sachuest National Wildlife Refuge

Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula)

Northern Hawk Owl photographed at Palmyra Maine

Northern Hawk Owl photographed at Palmyra Maine

I have only heard the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) during a bird-a-thon

For the remaining owls: Barn Owl (I have photographed a captive Barn Owl), Long-eared Owl, Boreal Owl, Great Gray Owl; I keep looking at the e- bird news for any information on these owls, so I could plan a trip to try to observe and photograph them.

By the way, here is a photograph of a Burrowing Owl, which I photographed in California and really don't expect to photograph here in New England

Burrowing Owl