Great Grey Owl
After an unsuccessful hunting run, she flew up from the snow-covered field and perched atop a fence post, much closer to me than I'd expected. Her stately 'look-at-me' pose was simply irresistible!
300mmf4D + 1.4X
(Feb. 2017, -15C, Overcast)
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Short-eared Owl.
I managed to catch a few shots of this individual before the clouds covered the setting sun once again.
(Sturgeon County, Alberta)
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The owl was spotted sitting atop the poplar tree that gave a good vantage point of the hunting ground. I slowly got out of my car, eased into the snow-covered country roadside ditch and hunkered down in the best position to photograph this beauty. It was late afternoon, an hour before sunset, and -15C.
After what seemed like an interminable wait, the owl locked on a sound and launched into a hunting run. The owl's sense of hearing was incredible. It is amazing that it was able to detect such tiny prey burrowing in anywhere up to a foot of snow from such great distance.
I was lucky that this individual flew straight towards my direction, hovered briefly above the snow-covered field, eyes intently focused.
Nikon D500 w/ 300mmf4D + 1.4X
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The shot was taken at a distance with a telephoto lens. I'd climbed the slope to gain a good vantage point and managed to shoot through gaps in the foliage. The image is uncropped.
As it was an overcast day and a rain storm was imminent, there was not much light in the forest, I shot wide open using slow shutter speed. I like the way the wide aperture had blurred the leaves on the trees to create a nice background bokeh, and there was just adequate light to get a hint of catchlight to add some details to the eyes.
Taken on: June 2023, Edmonton, Alberta.
Nikon D500 w/ 500f4G @ f4; 1/160; -0.77EV; ISO2000
Lightroom 6.0. Sizing and image resolution: 100dpi
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I observed this owl hunting along the roadside in the late afternoon sunlight. I sat quietly in one place in the ditch becoming part of the environment and this method had enabled me to bag some good shots of this owl doing what it did naturally. I was fortunate that this owl tolerated me and kept hunting in the same area.
Here, it flew past me to perch on a fence post to resume listening to prey beneath the snow.
Taken on Jan.2017, Temp: -15C; 3.45pm, an hour before sunset
Nikon D500 w/ 300f4D+1.4X
Lightroom 6.0
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