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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On with a little news…I have a few plans for this holiday. I’m heading to Florida, not for a vacation, but for work. I have a wedding to shoot on the beach. This wedding happens to be on December 31, New Years eve no less. Should be interesting. I will have to post a few shots from the wedding when I get back. I’m sure by that time everyone would like a little warmth to get them threw the cold spells. I will have little time to take care of business and that comes first of course.  In late January my plans shift to the West Coast for some winter shots. I hoping to fulfill a few lucky shot of some winter scenes to post and for stock.  The mountains are gorgeous this time of year.  Perhaps a pretty cold in parts, but beautiful pictures don’t come without a little work.  Keeping the photo stock up can be pretty time consuming. In fact I have been trying to get up to Squaw Creek, hear in Missouri for the last few weeks. I have been pretty busy with other things and have been unable to get up that way.  You do what you can.  Sometimes you come up short.  Again I have made plans for sometime next week to go. I’m just not sure which day yet, so with a little hope and planning I will make it there.  If you have interest and would like to tag along.  Give me a ring or shoot me an email. Maybe we can make a day of it.   

Here are a couple images taken last year to get you in the mood for Christmas.  

Plaza Lights, This image is Copyright © 2008 Chad Davis

Red Berries, This image is Copyright © 2008 Chad Davis

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