George Owens Nature Park is located at 1601 S. Speck Rd., Independence Mo. 64057 The park consist of 86 acres of beautiful forest with lakes, hiking trails and wildlife.  It includes Six hiking trails, two fishing lakes. Organized group campground, Family Picnic area, Nature Center, Rain Gardens and a Pavilion.

Some of the upcoming events this park has to offer are Winter Hikes, Groundhog Day Celebration, Bluebird and  House Class etc. For more information please visit the website at http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/parksandrec/Owens.aspx.

Nature isn’t something you should take lightly.  If you like watching birds and other creatures then you have to be willing to be patient and allow mother nature to accept you on it’s terms.  People today are so removed from the wildlife around them that when they see Deer, Birds etc. they expect them to accept people as non-threatening.  This is a mistake to think they will not perceive you as a threat.  As individuals people are always a threat.  We intrude, encircle, and approach animals when we perceive safety and not when the they are ok with our presence.  All creatures have a body language, understanding that language is key to understanding them.  I will be the first one to tell you that it’s impossible for one individual to learn the body language of all animals, but we can all learn the basics. We actually know quite a bit already that’s why we look at some dogs and suddenly feel threatened and others we do not.  We just have to take a little time to learn the basics.

While visiting George Owens you might see Wild Turkey, Deer, Cardinals, Wood peckers, and other species of wildlife.  You have to be patient the deer are not going to come up to you just because you are there.  The birds are not going to land on your shoulder and chirp in your ear.  Although I have seen that happen.  On my visits I often see turkey.  In fact just about every time I have been there I have seen turkey.  They spent most of the time hiding from me on this day.  Its ok because I was not really interested in photographing them.  I was more interested in photographing small birds, mainly because I saw a dozen or more hanging around the front entrance to the park.  Before settling down to photograph the birds especially the Cardinals.  I spent a couple hours walking the trails.  I wanted to see what had been in the area.  Its pretty easy to track animals in the snow.  You never know what you will see.  I spent a couple hours just waiting for those Cardinals to accept my presence on this visit.  The snow was deep, the day was cold and by the time I had gained a little confidence from the birds my feet were pretty cold and the snow found a way into my boots.  Within the first two hours I had closed the distance within 65 feet.  I needed to be closer and that was going to take more time.  I was willing to put in another hour being patient before leaving for the day, not because of being a little cold but for the reason that the lightning was changing.  With an overcast day the proper lightning wasn’t going to last more then hour.   Despite my willingness to stay longer my decision was made for me.  Like a lot of small birds when there is danger around they hide or fly off.   I had been making my way closer to them.  I had been waiting patiently.  After moving another foot, I settled in my new position, planted my tripod legs waiting for the right opportunity to present itself when all the birds went silent and flew off to the safety of the trees.  I was wondering what happened.  Was it something I did!  When I gazed across the sky I noticed a large bird flying about.  It was something all small birds don’t like to see.  It was a red tailed hawk.  I understood why they took off.  It wasn’t me, they were afraid of being a meal. So, with that my patience, time and effort were shot. It was time to go home and take a warm shower.

From a prior visit a few years back.  Here a couple images.

Red Cardinal

Dark-Eyed Junco

Copyright © 2009 Chad Davis

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1. A rant with a twist.

First a little rant….

If you have been watching the weather for the midwest, then you already know what I and many others have been going threw.  Since the first blizzard to roll threw Missouri this year.  I have been either staying indoors away from the cold or being forced to venture out into it.   Let’s just say some of those ventures have not been of my own doing.  Now, where I live there is only one road in and one road out in one direction.   Living in a circle is not always a joyful one.  It has always amazed me that individuals who don’t live hear never read the signs that say “dead end”.  You would think they would have second thoughts coming around this circle.  It’s not exactly flat and has a tendency to go down hill a little. When road conditions are good there are no problems getting around the circle, but when it snows.  It’s a bad thing to venture down the road of no return.  I don’t say this lightly.  I have lived here many years and there has been more then few times that I have been stuck in this circle only to retreat to the garage for a shovel and some sand to get my vehicle out.  Now I don’t know about you, but after shoveling a driveway, sidewalk and 1/3 of the circle I don’t care to shovel and break ice on the rest of the circle. Normally everywhere else you can depend on the city to plow the streets, but for some reason the city every year seems to forget we exist unless they want to give you a parking ticket.  If they do happen to come down and plow the road, they do a terrible job of it.  Usually it amounts to one plow down the middle of the circle leaving two mounds of snow on each side making it difficult to get around or out. They should just leave well enough alone.  I have spent the better half of one week shoveling others out of the circle.  I’m thinking of sending the city a bill.  I guess some individuals think it makes since to travel down to the circle and turn around.  It happens all times of the day, but worst of all, it even happens early in the morning when your trying to sleep.  Spinning tires, racing engines and god only knows what does nothing but announce that your stuck and of course keep everyone up at night.  At the time of writing this piece we are do for more snow in the next day or two as if we haven’t had enough. I guess I’m do to repeat the shoveling many times over in order to keep the circle from becoming a parking lot.  I like snow and yes I want to capture some winter scenes, but if I have to keep shoveling people out in order to be assured of parking space at home then I’m in trouble.

Sorry for the little rant, but I had to get that out of my system.   With that out of the way.  I had plans to visit a sanctuary up north named Squaw Creek, but that was before the blizzard and the shut down of the highway leading to that area.  My plans were shot.  Since then I have been busy trying to figure out when I can plan this visit again.  Only by now I might have missed my chance to get the images I have been looking for.  Most of the birds that I would see there, I have been noticing flying overhead while shoveling people out of the circle.  Not wanting to waste or spoil a day shoot, I decided instead since my vehicle wasn’t going anywhere to visit a local park hopefully to photograph some winter scenes.  This park isn’t far from where I live.  It’s within walking distance actually.  Collecting my gear, I set out to walk the 3/4 of mile trip threw 8 inches deep snow and ice.  I haven’t had the chance  to transfer the images from the camera yet, so please forgive me for not having something to show in this post.  I should be getting around to that hopefully in the next few days.  This park hasn’t been the only one I have visited in the last few days. I managed to visit another park over in Independence when I was able to navigate the streets out of hear.  More on that in a later post.

The park visit wasn’t very eventful one.  My neighbor had told me the night before that he awoke early in the morning to find a 10 point buck in his back yard.  Even know I have lived hear many years.  I have always known that there happened to be deer in the wooded area next to our houses because of the tracks, but I have only seen a few deer prancing around.  I was hoping to find a group of them in the park this day, but I didn’t have much luck.  I think it was actually do to the fact that parks and recreation were plowing the parking lot and were making so much noise that I’m sure if deer were around, they were staying out of sight or running in the opposite direction.  My luck so far with this storm was terrible.  However I did manage to capture a few shots of the snow encroaching in on the creek running threw the area.  In the past I have seen red fox and other little creatures in this area.

There was no doubt they were around, just hiding out.  I wanted to capture some wildlife playing in the snow, perhaps even a bird or two.  It just goes to show you that your not always lucky in the field. You just have to take a second look around and see what else there might be of interest.  I might not have captured any wildlife at play, but that doesn’t mean I won’t the next time.

On another note I have been for sometime now making plans to visit the West Coast once again.  The last visit I wanted to capture some winter scenes.  I had thought for sure I would capture some winter photographs, but for the two weeks that I was there it didn’t even bother snowing until the last day I was there.  Darn if it didn’t start until I was on my way to the airport.  There wasn’t anything I could do but wave goodbye from the plane window while flying over.  So, we are going to hopefully change that this time around.  I’m leaving on the 2oth of January  and returning in February.  Wish me luck!  I’m thinking of trying something different this time around posting my adventures to the blog on a daily basis while up there.  Of course with limitations on baggage, weight and so forth.  I might be forced to leave my laptop at home.

Until the next time,

Chad

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First let me say, it’s really not difficult to find Bald Eagles to photograph.   You can even find them in Florida.  You just have to know where to look.  You ask why Bald Eagles.  Well, I have always loved this graceful and majestic bird.  They just seem to fly with ease.  There feathers on the end of their wings curl as they pump their wings for lift. You know when your in their presence when they speak.  It’s a distinctive sound.  Their fiscal appearance demands your attention.  On top of all that it’s the national bird of the United States, so why not.

Washington State is a beautiful part of the country.  I have written extensively on Washington and I like to visit when I can.  Besides it’s beauty, it’s easy for me to visit because I have family there. This allows me to cut cost. When you don’t have family to stay with, you make due or find another way to cut your expenses.  I wanted to expand my library of landscapes and this was to be my main goal.  The best times to photograph landscapes are often during the early morning or late afternoon.  During the mid day I will look for other opportunities to photograph, such as birds, elk, or deer along with other species of animals. In the area I was of Port Angeles and Sequim the weather is often overcast which makes it easy for photographing the wildlife without harsh shadows.  I’d rather have a slight overcast day, but not such an overcast that it blocks out the brilliance of what the sun has to offer.  You desire quality light and not dull light.   I was actually hoping for a little snow storm.  A heavy snow covered Fur tree would have made for beautiful photo’s.  It would be my luck that it never snowed while up there on this trip.  Arriving back home I found out that it snowed the next day.   No such luck for me!

One day the clouds were just too heavy to be photographing landscapes.  So, I set off to find some Bald Eagles.  I kept looking for areas that might photograph well for landscapes when the weather was little better.  You never know if the weather will shift for the better and keeping your options open is something you just have to do.  I like to photograph birds doing some type of activity to give the photo’s character.   A bird staring at the open sky can be boring if there isn’t something else to give character to the image. Intense colors, a sparkle in the eye can help, but often it’s not enough.  My intent was to capture a photo or two of Bald Eagles swooping down for fish in the rivers of the area.  I found it difficult to find a location where they might be feeding.  Sometimes those pictures are just luck.

I knew of a place down the road from where I was staying that took care of Bald Eagles called the Northwest Raptor Center.  The Center is a non profit organization with the goals to rescue and rehabilitate and release wildlife.  It’s run by volunteers and the very dedicated lady by the name of Jaye who will gladly take donations that will benefit the Center and it’s inhabitance.   Injured Bald Eagles and other raptors that need rehabilitation can be found here, but a few other species of animals are there as well.  I had been there before to observe the Bald Eagles up close. I didn’t really want to photograph them there, just gather a little information about them. The Northwest Raptor Center has a website for more information and you can make donations if you wish as well.   Link here: Northwest Raptor Center.  You can also find it on the featured link area of the blog.  Information on the subject your wanting to photograph is key if your going to have any luck at all in capturing a beautiful shots.  Doing a little research will pay off in the end.

Most Bald Eagle prefer a habitat around the seacoast, rivers and large lakes with an abundance of fish.  This wasn’t going to be a problem being that I was on the West coast and within a couple miles of the Strait of Juan De Fuca.  I figured I would find a few Bald Eagles on my search for them and I was right.  I visited the Dungenese Recreational area located along the coast of the Straights.  Gathering my gear I headed that way.  In deed I found them, but they were busy flying pretty far above and none that were perched in trees for easy access from roads.  I needed an Eagle a little closer in range of my longest lens.   So, thinking of a few other places that might be a better to photograph them.  I knew of place called the Olympic Game Farm.  It’s a small drive threw zoo in Sequim.  I was not thinking I could photograph Bald Eagles in the Olympic Game Farm.  What I was thinking was that the Game Farm sits below a cliff area with tall trees overlooking several acres of farm land and a river goes along the farm as well.  The perfect area for Bald Eagles.  The Game Farm was just a location that I had knowledge of.  I drove to the area and positive I would see a few in this area.  I drove up a hill and around the back side of the farm.  There was back road to another farm that went just to the side of the Game Farm of the main road.  This road sits right next to these tall trees with limbs bent over, perfect for eagles looking to perch.  Plus it was pretty high up.  One tree alone had over five Eagles perched overlooking the hole area.  I counted over 20 eagles in the area.  That was pretty good count.  It was perfect for photographing.  Some of the juvenile Bald Eagles were a little paranoid and flew off to the next tree over, but the adults were not afraid of me.  They aloud me to photograph them for several hours.  I spent most of my day patiently waiting for them to fly off or come back with something.  It was beautiful opportunity and I took my time photographing these majestic raptors.  I never did get the shot that I wanted.  I guess it wasn’t my day, but none the less they did grace me with a few beautiful shot of them.  Despite my patients waiting for them along the river I never saw them along the river.  They spent most of their day perched in those trees.  They would come and go, flying off to survey the area returning to the same area time after time.

Copyright © 2009 Chad Davis

Copyright © 2009 Chad Davis

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1. Florida Opportunities at the Rookery

Well, I’m back from the west coast. Actually I have been back for sometime, I just haven’t been able to get around to writing anything in the blog. I truly apologize for that. Even know I have been back for sometime I have been working pretty hard catching up with business, editing and analyzing all the pictures that I took from Florida and Washington. I have plenty of new photos up on the website. More on that a little later.

I wanted to talk a little about the places I visited in Florida and Washington. My trip to Florida involved more then taking nature pictures. My visit to the warm southern state of Florida was actually for a wedding. Since I would be down that way I would make the best of my off time while there. When I was done working I would be able to photograph the wildlife, my true passion. So with the little time I had left on this trip, I visited a couple local parks and because of the time of year. I would visit a well known place called “Gatorland”.   If you have never been there and you might plan a trip to Orlando, look them up. You can find out more information about them here. www.gatorland.com . It’s a pretty neat place and the opportunities for photographing wildlife are abundant during certain times of the year. You can buy special package to be allowed in Gatorland early and late in the day when the lighting is at it’s best. Of course your always assured of photographing the abundant reptiles on exhibit. I spent more time photographing the wildlife flying above or roosting on nest then the Crocodiles and Alligators in the area, which is what the topic of this post will be.

When I first arrived, within an hour I had spotted an Osprey hovering above the palm trees. He was a good distance from my long telephoto lens. I never bothered with him except to keep an eye on what he was up to every fifteen minutes or so. So, my main concentration was the Osprey from the start, but I also would not throw away any opportunity if it came along. Often that would happen, but I would still have that beautiful Osprey in the back of my head wondering what he was up to. Every time I was distracted I would find him again hoping he was still in the area. Sure enough he would be. There was a fellow photographer there from Austria. The gentlemen and I would spend more time walking along the rookery waiting and photographing the area talking shop. Late in the evening we watched the Osprey I had been watching earlier perched in a tree.  The day was growing long so we decided to watch this beautiful bird for awhile. Waiting for the right moment we positioned ourselves in an open area along the walk way for him to take off from his perch. After a couple hours he finally flew off. We managed to get a few shots of him, but nothing really to brag about. Thinking the opportunity was a bust, we photographed a few White egrets flying about. At that time I was still interested in the Osprey, wondering where flew off too. He was more impressive to me and I had been watching him all day. I didn’t want to be defeated.  I invested a lot time in this bird. I walked a little way from the spot I had chosen earlier when all the sudden out of the corner of my eye. I spotted him flying toward us with something grasped in his claws. I couldn’t make it out, but I was almost positive it was a fish. I just had to capture him with that fish. The question was, “Where was he going with his meal”. We didn’t know, but I wanted to be ready if he got in range of my camera. Sure enough he flew around these two trees planning a landing.  At least that is what I was hoping for.  I was ready and managed to capture a series of shots of him with the fish grasped in his claws and wings wide open en between those two trees. Only one of these shots was the one. So you see, I really waited all day to get the one shot that made the hole day worth while. The result of that long wait was beautiful. You might have seen it already on the front page of the site.

Osprey with Fish

Copyright © 2009 Chad Davis

Also If you wish to purchase this image click this link below.

http://www.crphotocare.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=3865

The Gatorland visit was one day only, but I would have loved to come back a second day and maybe a third. To get some of these great shots, I spent most of the time at the rookery of Gatorland. This time of the year the birds are building nest and mating. I happen to be a little early when I visited. The time to be there would be late January and February and into March. The birds would be many, that catching a great shot would be guaranteed if you have the patients.

My visits to the local parks.  I spent hours just searching for the wildlife to photograph. In deed I found them but getting something beautiful was all together a different story. On the next blog posting I will talk about the visit to the local parks. With that I leave you with a shot of an alligator coming in for a closer look and a link to the newest photos on the website. http://www.crphotocare.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=1005

Copyright © 2009 Chad Davis

Related posts:

1. Florida visit to the rookery,
2. Florida Opportunities at the Local Parks
3. Pursuit of Bald Eagles

You could imagine the excitement I had when I heard back around in 1995 – 96 that officials would reintroduce wolves to central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park.  The plan was to reintroduce 66 wolves to the area.  Well, the plan worked well.  In fact it’s estimated that the population of wolves has reached 2,000 individuals.  When they were released in Idaho and Washington they quickly wandered into Oregon. There is strong evidence of the first wolf pack in Oregon, the first in many years since the eradication from the West.  With the wolves recovering in bigger numbers each year there seemed to be hope for them. Obviously, I was to quick to judge.  The Bush administration felt differently.  They delisted the Greater Yellowstone area wolves in March of 2008 since being listed on the endangered list in 1974.  I cannot understand how anyone can honestly say that a species be taken off the endangered species list when there is only a population of around 2,000 wolves in those areas, is beyond me.  I was truly upset with this decision by the Bush administration.  Since their removal from the endangered species list there has been over 100 wolves killed in the short time since they had been removed from the list.  

I’m excited to say that the tables have turned once again for wolves of the West.  The reason for this, since then a judge has restored the wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies to the endangered species list making it illegal once again to kill wolves.  The judges decision was based on the fact that the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not prove that they had genetically linked the wolves. This meant that the wolves throughout Idaho and Montana must be interbreed with wolves from Yellowstone – before delisting, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had to do a better job of explaining why that didn’t matter anymore.

While the battle isn’t over.  My opinion, is that the wolves were illegally removed from the endangered species list because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not prove they had genetically linked the wolves bowing under the pressure of the Bush administration to remove them from the endangered species list. For now, I hold hopes that things will work out for the wolves.  

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