Nora the explorer puts local wildlife on YouTube

Steve Erwin, the Crocodile Hunter; Gordon Eastman; Jacques Cousteau; Nora Jenn: these are the names of great wildlife videographers.

Jenn, who lives in Coulee Dam and used to work for the National Park Service as well as the Bureau of Reclamation, films some interesting videos of animal life in our area and posts them on YouTube for all to enjoy.

One video shows a coyote howling on the ice of Banks Lake, while another shows a close-up of a young bald eagle eating a fish. Eagles trying to catch coots, an eagle swooping down close to a coyote, a hawk eating a mouse - these are just some of the other videos Jenn has filmed.

"I have taken lots of pictures throughout the years of both wildlife and people, but since going digital I have really taken so many more," Jenn said. "I'd say 2013 was when I really started doing birds and deer more."

To capture the moments, Jenn uses a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 with a 30x zoom.

And how does she manage to get so close to the animals?

"I credit my hybrid car for being quiet, and I have kind of a route that I follow each day," Jenn explained. "Sometimes I am just at the right place at the right time. Sometimes I park and wait for them to come to me - especially the deer. Another secret is that I never, ever leave my car - I shoot from my window, and I try to open the window before getting too near so that the sound of it opening doesn't spook them."

Jenn says she likes to go out daily for one or two hours, frequenting Osborne Bay, Jones Bay, Northrup Canyon, Northrup Point, and Steamboat Rock. "I enjoy being out in nature," she said, adding that the $30 Discover Pass required to park at these spots is "the best deal in the world."

"I love the peacefulness and quiet of nature, and the beauty of it too," Jenn continued. "The sunrises, sunsets, reflections off the water - rainbows in the mist. Just have always felt more at peace when out observing."

Some of Jenn's favorite videos she's taken so far are: the juvenile eagle eating a fish, the coyote howling on a frozen Banks Lake, heron hunting fish, an osprey catching a fish, and mule deer bucks getting close to Jenn in her car.

And outside of the animal category, Jenn mentioned the video of drum gate work being done on the dam. "This is one of mine with the most views," she said. "Guess more people like the dam."

To view Jenn's videos, go to http://www.youtube.com/couleedamsings, the name of Jenn's YouTube channel, and from there you can find her videos.

The Star will link to her videos on the online edition at http://www.grandcoulee.com.