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WC #403 - Boreal Owl

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted October 19, 2009150 views10 comments

Olympus E-3, 300mm, handheld
f2.8, 1/250, ISO800, +0.3ev, fill-flash

This handsome fellow roosted in a white spruce tree ten feet from our front door; I took the shot braced against the door, in fact. Boreal Owls, outside of breeding season when you can find them in owl boxes, are incredibly elusive. I was stunned to have this guy right by the house.

C & C, please.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on October 19, 2009 at 12:48 AM

What a beauty Jim! ......and lucky you are to have this guy so close! Great catch.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on October 19, 2009 at 4:18 AM

Very peacfull and relaxed

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on October 19, 2009 at 12:57 PM

I'd like to have a so nice guy close to my door. For me it's easier to see a new model of car than a beautiful bird!

Very nice capture.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on October 19, 2009 at 1:32 PM

very nice, Jim. Good detail, and I like the sleepy pose.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Carrie O'Brien-Sib on October 19, 2009 at 5:36 PM

Oh Jim, this is so cute! I think I would make it into a Christmas card!
COS

Registered on August 4, 2009, 149 Posts, 889 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on October 19, 2009 at 8:49 PM

You lucky guy, Jim--that's awesome!

I dont know what that flesh colored OOF thing is, but it doesnt bother me too much

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on October 20, 2009 at 1:57 PM

Jim,

I would be thrilled to have this species just outside the front door!

Very well done and I love how it is sleeping.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Fischer on October 20, 2009 at 2:54 PM

300 mm hand-held is a great feat, even at 1/250 sec. Did he fly at the flash????
I hear some Great-Horned during the winter but at night.
Neat capture around the homestead. the fisch

Registered on July 28, 2008, 155 Posts, 874 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on October 20, 2009 at 3:23 PM

Stan - the OOF brown things are dead leaves on a foreground lilac bush.
Fisch - he did not fly at the flash; eventually a squad of Black-capped Chickadees drove him off.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Schwarz on October 22, 2009 at 10:06 AM

Really nice catch.

Registered on November 29, 2006, 236 Posts, 1210 Comments