Saw-whet Owlets

Gallery: AvianPosted June 14, 20091,038 views27 comments

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting a friends farm on the outskirts of a northern forest where there was a nest of recently fledged Saw-whet Owls.
Definately a case of " if you think the adults are cute, then you ain't seen nothin' " :-)
I got myself into a position to shoot all 3 youngsters when suddenly a Red-tailed Hawk cried from high above in the sky.
At that instant they all looked up.
One of those lucky moments in this photography game that I think we all love to have every once in a while.

40D
100-400@400 ( 50% crop )
1/200 hh
Fill flash @-3
F8
ISO 500

Comments

27 comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on June 14, 2009 at 5:51 PM

A real charmer, and a fine image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on June 14, 2009 at 5:53 PM

A really beautiful photo

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on June 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Nick, this is just plain wonderful. I have never had the chance to see saw whet owlets and this image is just perfect in my opinion. Not much else to say. Well well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on June 14, 2009 at 7:39 PM

Those little fluff balls are too cute! Wonderful expressions as well. Doesn't get much better than this Nick.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Julia Flanagan on June 14, 2009 at 8:43 PM

Oh I agree with Gary - too cute by far! What a great moment captured. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on November 13, 2003, 59 Posts, 986 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on June 14, 2009 at 9:26 PM

Oh my! This is a killer moment and a wonderful catch! Congrats! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on June 14, 2009 at 9:47 PM

This shot would have been great with the three Owlets. With that pose and look it is just killer!! Great shot with perfect timing. Big Congrats on this one.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on June 14, 2009 at 10:29 PM

Off the cuteness scale, and, as Richard says, a fine image.

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 14, 2009 at 11:31 PM

Well Nick, I think you just reset the bar for "cute". My wife is definitely not the gushing type and she just melted when she saw this. Wonderful opportunity and you took full advantage of it. Any nits on this one would be sheer jealousy.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on June 15, 2009 at 3:42 AM

Classic Nick, great shot.

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on June 15, 2009 at 7:29 AM

Unbeatable, and for a number of reasons - three owls, and cute chicks, at that, all of them with upturned faces, the focus, the clarity....Superb!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on June 15, 2009 at 5:27 PM

Fantastic moment and fantastic image of that moment! I hope you also have some with them looking at you.

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on June 15, 2009 at 11:33 PM

This is wonderful!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Douglas Graham on June 16, 2009 at 11:04 AM

Pretty much perfect. Nice photo of cute chicks!

Registered on May 14, 2009, 123 Posts, 522 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Theodore on June 17, 2009 at 6:56 PM

Excellent photograph!!

Registered on May 7, 2008, 18 Posts, 54 Comments

Comment posted by Rebecka on June 20, 2009 at 11:16 AM

Beautiful capture -- definitely makes the viewer wonder what it was they were all looking at -- thanks for the explanation!

Registered on February 5, 2009, 170 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on June 21, 2009 at 9:21 PM

Congrats on getting this Nick, a wonderful image.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Paulo A.Lopes on June 23, 2009 at 6:54 AM

Fantastic image. Im sure you cannot get more close and its a pity that 50% crop, even so it a fine moment,Congrats!

Registered on October 14, 2008, 122 Posts, 836 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on June 23, 2009 at 8:02 AM

Congratulations on the Weekly Pick.

Well Done!!

May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on June 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM

Too cute, just excellent!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on June 24, 2009 at 10:54 AM

very nice shot!!!

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Kathy Vespaziani on June 24, 2009 at 4:58 PM

Stopped me in my tracks. Couldn't be better if you had arranged them on the branch manually! You've got a wonderful slice of life "glamour shot" that also illustrates the disparity of size due to hatch-time, and an early predator-response.

wow

Registered on January 5, 2009, 6 Posts, 16 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on June 25, 2009 at 3:42 AM

just excellent.

sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Hall on June 26, 2009 at 11:20 PM

I saw your photo on Earthshots this week. I made on Earthshot Sunday. http://www.earthshots.org/2009/06/egrets-fishing-by-mike-hall/

Congrats to you. I laughed when I saw the photo. They just have a comic look to them. Great shot! They are really interesting birds.

Registered on January 30, 2009, 8 Posts, 8 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on August 12, 2009 at 10:29 AM

This is so darn cute!! Well deserved ep!! I LOVE those lucky moments!!!

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on August 12, 2009 at 10:33 AM

Many thanks guys

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on August 12, 2009 at 12:51 PM

Really beautiful. Immediate smile on face

Love it. VWD

Neal

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments