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I followed a most unusual birdsong through the woods for almost an entire summer trying to get a good sighting, long before cell phones and digital cameras (1960s probably) and that species is now one of my favorites: The Northern Parula Warbler. It's last few notes are so high and shrill I imagine he looks like Sylvesters Tweety Bird straining on tippy toes to get the last of it out!!! Do you have them where you are? I'm in north, central Florida.

Birds are cool.

Cool video! You are so fortunate to have so many owl species in your area!

Attended a seminar on ethical owl photography for those who might be wondering how you can tell you're giving an owl enough space, and why it's important: 1) The eyes. If their eyes are wide open and staring right at you, they are not comfortable. they are high alert and stressed. If they're squinted or straight-up closed, that's a good sign that they're not bothered. 2) The plumage. If they are puffed up, they're probably stressed 3) Their position. An owl not facing you directly, looking around, or even with its back turned is a chill, happy owl. Even with its back turned, it knows you are there, and has decided it doesn't feel threatened. A stressed owl can very quickly turn into a dead owl. It's not healthy for them to be on high alert like that, especially when so many folks are crashing into their space. Plus, you stomping around their feeding grounds can make hunting more difficult. Don't stay too long, don't use flashlights directly at them or flash photography, be responsible in your own actions and be responsible in who you share information with regarding an owl's location

Love it! Great work

“The dirty birder”

Thank you so much for this. I’m as amateur as they come and have become obsessed with owls. Imagine my surprise that a bird photographer is having as rough a time as I am! This is how little I’ve understood about it. There’s an orange screech owl in a sycamore at the park near my house, my first time there I actually saw 2 but came to discover it was beginner’s luck. I do think there’s great value in being quiet in nature and just observing. This was very helpful and I admire your tenacity. I’m pretty relieved not to be an owl photographer! 😂🤣😅😂

does that handle extend out to about where Canon's grip is? That is one thing I would miss leaving Canon as I have big hands and every other camera is uncomfortable to handle with its smaller or a lack of a grip.

April fools day mean this can be a fools 😂😂😂😂

Thank you! You know what would be awesome? I follow alot of you professional wildlife and nature photographers and it would be awesome if I could go on a wildlife and nature photography trip with one of you guys for a whole weekend 😀

Can you upload video on batteries. How many do I need and what kind

I shall look for these...warblers. Have you ever been to Wildwood Park in Harrisburg? Surrounded by highways and an industrial zone, the birds are so used to people there they practically land on your shoulder (not really) and more turtles than you can count.

Love it! Great job. I just started my template and did a mock up on cardboard lol. Then saw your video. And it looks very similar to yours 😂

How do you find land big enough that you're allowed to roam to find them? I feel limited to small parks around my area

Honestly, I'm loving your channel. You're the only honest wildlife shooter on TH-cam. I've been cracking away at wildlife videography for the last couple years away from my day job working in documentary. And I'll tell you my experience completely mirrors yours. Keep up the honest work and you've got a totally viable channel here.

I am a Florida bird photographer .....lots of habitats with water, lots of water bird photography opportunities and lots of alligators. The last one is my deal breaker from making a floating hide or just out right purchasing one. Your points of vegetation getting in the way and the need to get a bit closer are valid points but the 'gators are my issue. Cheers!

When I used to do cold water diving we would have very warm water that we would pour into the neck of the wetsuit before we went into the water. That made a huge difference, but we were still limited to about an hour before the cold would start to affect us. This time of year in the Northeast the water temp might not be much above freezing, so I think the only way you could use the floating blind during the spring migration would be with a drysuit.

There is a reason they are called “wetsuits”. Wetsuits allow water to pass through. Just ask any triathlete. A drysuit is a different beast. But they are also way more expensive. For the purpose of floating blind photography, I use chest waders. They have a built-in boot and are waterproof all the way to the top. I built nearly an identical float. But in the end, I never completely finished it because I decided that it was way too bulky. I also wanted something that I would be completely safe in regardless of where I stepped. I discovered that you can’t always see the bottom and it can be easy to step into a spot over your head. I decided to purchase a float tube. I am about 90% on the way towards finishing a camouflage hide cover and camera mount.

Great tips man thanks alot. I like to spend a ridiculously long time in the woods and see nothing, and then ill be driving to wal mart and see an owl sotting on a fence post. Haha.

In the falconry world pellets are called castings

You haven’t failed! Your out there and doing good. I’m impressed!

Fantastic you were able to film and, more importantly, see this bird.

Why wouldnt you show the pellets? I dont need to look at your face to comprehend what you are saying

I see a pair of great horned owls every morning. I live in a very rural area but in a neighborhood. It is always too dark to get any photographs and I always see the pair on rooftops. I found a nest last year but they don’t appear to be using it this year. I will keep checking it. Some years a red-tailed hawk pair use this same nest.

Ebird isnt showing any owls species in my area. I live right outside of Yellowstone, so I highly doubt there hasn't been anyseen. Are people probably just not reporting them?

the way i find owls is i walk out into the woods and yell HEY YOU and the owls will say WHO? and thats how I locate them :) ;)

If possible you need trail cams to help with the surveillance work.

Great video brother. You've got to pee in that wet suit LOL it will keep you warm😮

Owl location is not usually shared on ebird or other media. But the location still easily spread among photographers in the area.

Edit* the labeled lesser scaup is a Ring-Necked duck.

I’ve been a professional bird photographer for several years now and I laughed when you said “ask people in your community for help” 😂 here in NY asking for locations of owls especially is nearly impossible and people won’t say anything to you even if you’re an ethical birder. I have found several Great Horned nests on my own after scouting EBird pins and putting in the time. My biggest tip with Great Horned is actually to go out midday before dusk during breeding season. GHO will usually start calling very early in the day around 2:30/3:00 doing their duet calls during mating season late December - early February here in North east . So you can still look with great light and calls and you will find them. They tend to call less once they’re on eggs but they still will duet occasionally. Also, they are less skittish during the day I have found and will less likely flush at the sight of you. The females will usually stay and the males will fly off first and are more skittish. 95% of all GHO I have found were roosting in evergreens cedars or pines high up along the trunk. I ALWAYS start at the evergreens in the area and most of the time I will find them there. The owls get pestered by the jays and crows so they tend to hide during the day to rest! The easiest way to find owls is to go to a location and look for the photographers with the giant lenses first 🤣 wish it were that easy most times! Just some tips I’d pass along!

Just started wildlife photography in OH and now I'm hoping to find some owls, thanks for the awesome video!

Very very nice,beaitiful video

Beautiful video my friend,thanks for sharing

Nice. Southern Manitoba here, I live on the edge of Big Grass Marsh. Had one of these in the works for a few years now but the 9-5 always gets in the way. I've set aside some time to construct a floating blind for myself this spring so will be watching for your thoughts and updates ! Looking forward to seeing your results :)

Thank you for posting this! Here in Delaware I’ve been considering building something like this, and I’ve also been wondering about what to wear, so - you are not alone! I did try building a blind on a kayak and I was able to get it out on the water, but no birds came near me in 90 minutes at sunset. And the wind tried to push me around a lot, though I had a small anchor that helped me stay in place (but didn’t allow me to turn very far, so I could only photograph in about a 180 degree arc). I may try something like you built. Thanks for the inspiration.

Well done

I’ve literally been watching videos on building floating blinds for the last two years and this is by far the best one I’ve seen. Thanks for posting it!

I never knew I wanted to try photographing owls until this video. Thanks, got my sub!

I am constantly amazed at how wary the wood ducks are. I can be completely camouflaged and ignored by all waterfowl, then a wood duck arrives and it is immediately aware of my presence. Congrats on the great photos!

Crazy story for you!!!....I watched this video last night because it popped up on my feed. This morning as I walked out to my car there were a million crows behind my house yelling in the trees. I stopped and listened for a few seconds and thought, "Wow, they're sure loud." When I got home tonight the same ruckus was going on. I went back in the field and you will never guess what was happening!!! There were probably 50 crows yelling at an owl back there!!! I took a video of it and posted it as a short on my channel so I could show you!! I could not believe the irony, because I never would have thought they were cawing out an owl if I hadn't seen your video last night!!! Huge coincidence!!!

Excellent! Owls are just wonderful birds. I would love to be able to photograph one.

I have not been successful with owls either. Seems that when I find one, I don't have my camera or I can't stop to catch the image. Thanks so much for your advice!

Great video. Thanks for keeping it real! Best of luck because I feel the same way about bald eagles and recently just captured my first set of uncropped wild eagle shots and was thrilled! Back to photographing nuthatches and woodpeckers until the next opportunity comes!

4:37 found a Eastern Screech in that tree cavity Jan.2022 red morph, tree is in park west of Hollidaysburg ??