From Tom Geier
Where is the short eared owl?
Lucas County, OH 3/21
Oh, that’s a superb owl. Honk! Cool photograph.
I’m happy to report that the sweet goosies are returning from their wintering down South; I saw my first one today in downtown Edmonton!
Honk
Nice work! 🪿
It’s hidden pretty well. Honk honk!
Indeed. If we had to scan the whole waterfront to find it, it would pose quite the challenge. 🪿
A bird photographer named Tom Geier?! (Geier is German for vulture)
Also, honk honk!
What a coincidence. Thanks for sharing that. I would have had no idea. 🪿
I wonder what one has to do to be given the name of vulture though. 🤔😧
Maybe something like Geier-Wally?
You’re on to something Geier surname
Many using the surname Geier share an oral history attributing its origins to a heroic band of peasant villagers who climbed high to an aerie and clubbed to death a gigantic raptor (a geier) which had been stealing and eating human babies from their village.
While I am enjoying the history, there’s a disappointing amount of bird clubbing. 🥺
It is interesting to see how the different birds reputations have changed through history though. Now, most of the raptors seem to be well loved, but that has not always been the case. There are still many parts of the world that treat them the way Medieval Europe did, so hopefully they will come around someday as well. I know I made a post here a few years back about how India was having extreme human health problems due to their near irradiation of their vulture population and people were getting sick from the remains lying around everywhere.
Not my post, but a Smithsonian Magazine article about the problems in India.
Humans in general tend to be a disappointment.
Owls on the other hand…
We have no shortage of bad human examples, certainly, but it’s not like we’re bumping into them left and right. How often do we not leave a review for something that functioned as intended vs when it doesn’t work? Sure, history books have some good examples of humanity, but it’s the real stinkers that get the most attention. I used to think it was so we didn’t repeat those mistakes, but that still sounds a bit, ambitious, let’s call it. Most of us range from boring to pretty darn good, but there’s always a few people we can’t seem to tell “no” to before they screw up monumentally.
That that sounds like one interesting lady! Thanks for sharing!
surprised they aren’t going into murder mode on the Owl. here in Canada if you walk in like a 10km radius of where ever the hell their nest might be they will take that as a personal attack on their well being and seek revenge on you.
The students at the University of Waterloo in Ontario even created an app to warn you of potential nest areas and geese attacks.
That sounds like a useful little app! They’re not any more polite when they come see us down here in the US.
I’m really wondering if those geese are unaware it’s there. I don’t think it’s too far away from them, Shorties aren’t very large owls. Audubon has them listed ad 40cm tall while the goose they say is around 60cm for comparison.
Snowy Owl - Size: 24" (61 cm); About the size of a Heron, Canada Goose or Larger; About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
Short-eared Owl - Size: 16" (41 cm); About the size of a Crow; About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
It’s hard to estimate the distance when there’s this much depth on the shot, but I’d guess they’re at least 20m away.
I absolutely love the photo. This is like worlds colliding!
It was a really fun photo to come across, and I couldn’t wait to share with you all.
Hihi honk honk
Good job! 🪿
