Posted by Tim Gregory on November 3, 2008 at 11:52 AM
One of many shots from the start of the year. I worked on a pair of SEOs for 2 months out near where I live.
Taken using the car as a hide.
1D MkIII
300 F2.8 + 2X converter.
ISO 800
Posted by Ian Mason on November 3, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Those eyes are just great. So crisp, especially at iso 800 and 2xTC. Nice reflection/catchlight too. I'd love to see more please!
Posted by Tim Gregory on November 3, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Hi Ian.
Cheers - they are such characters.. I'm currently waiting for them to return to my location, they should be there sometime soon... This time I have a 600mm lens and won't have to rely on a 300 with a 2x, as it was quite difficult last time.. (Focus hunting, losing 2 stops, contrast/IQ loss, etc)
I shot 7GB off in the 2 month period, I hope to put quite a few on my website when its finished..
My location (which is half private farmland with permission) is like McDonalds for Owls, (large complex of drains, dykes and fields - Vole city!)
Lovely portrait of this beautiful bird.
When you shoot from the car do you cover your silhuette or something like that?
have fun,
Bertl
Posted by Tim Gregory on November 3, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Hi Berti,
The Owls aren't bothered by me in the slightest so long as I stay in the car. They're so used to farm machinery that they're not that bothered. I've had them 6ft away from the window, I even had the radio turned on quite loud and both of them seemed quite interested and sat on the molehills, one even fell asleep and fluffed up into a ball.. However the moment you exit the car - thats it they're off.
Loving those eyes! You are a lucky bugger having all that farmland around you. All I have in immediate local area to me is pigeons...faaasands of em! (he said in his best Michael Caine voice)
Posted by Mike Smith on November 4, 2008 at 1:59 AM
Its good to see that the owls are not disturbed by your car/farming activities, but I am always slightly concerned at the potential disturbance to wintering SEO which roost in tussocky grass.
A local wintering population on the Berkshire downs has been reduced from some 20-30 birds to under 10 in recent years due to disturbance by birdwatchers/photographers trampling through the roosting site getting their 'year tick'/close up image, as soon as a site gets mentioned on the web, as sure as eggs are eggs it will become a local hotspot of activity. If nothing else the disturbance ups their requirement to hunt to replace needlessly lost energy levels - raptors are naturally energy conservationist and hunt only when necessary
Posted by Anthony House on November 4, 2008 at 3:19 AM
Nice work Tim, look forward to seeing more of your SEOwl shots....
Posted by Tim Gregory on November 4, 2008 at 5:32 AM
I agree Mike.
I fully understand how serious the effects can be, we actually limited our shooting time to once or twice a week for 1 hour each time, and we never chased them. The location is also a strict secret.
They just weren't bothered by the car in the slightest, the time one of them sat on a Mole hill, woofed a vole down then fluffed up and went to sleep right in front of us confirms it!
Although I do believe they're European birds and disappear over the summer.
I actually knew about the Berkshire downs, but if its a known site it'd probably be a waste of time for photography. (General disturbance, having to approach on foot, etc) Its a shame.
Discussion
10 repliesTaken using the car as a hide.
1D MkIII
300 F2.8 + 2X converter.
ISO 800
Cheers - they are such characters.. I'm currently waiting for them to return to my location, they should be there sometime soon... This time I have a 600mm lens and won't have to rely on a 300 with a 2x, as it was quite difficult last time.. (Focus hunting, losing 2 stops, contrast/IQ loss, etc)
I shot 7GB off in the 2 month period, I hope to put quite a few on my website when its finished..
My location (which is half private farmland with permission) is like McDonalds for Owls, (large complex of drains, dykes and fields - Vole city!)
When you shoot from the car do you cover your silhuette or something like that?
have fun,
Bertl
The Owls aren't bothered by me in the slightest so long as I stay in the car. They're so used to farm machinery that they're not that bothered. I've had them 6ft away from the window, I even had the radio turned on quite loud and both of them seemed quite interested and sat on the molehills, one even fell asleep and fluffed up into a ball.. However the moment you exit the car - thats it they're off.
A local wintering population on the Berkshire downs has been reduced from some 20-30 birds to under 10 in recent years due to disturbance by birdwatchers/photographers trampling through the roosting site getting their 'year tick'/close up image, as soon as a site gets mentioned on the web, as sure as eggs are eggs it will become a local hotspot of activity. If nothing else the disturbance ups their requirement to hunt to replace needlessly lost energy levels - raptors are naturally energy conservationist and hunt only when necessary
I fully understand how serious the effects can be, we actually limited our shooting time to once or twice a week for 1 hour each time, and we never chased them. The location is also a strict secret.
They just weren't bothered by the car in the slightest, the time one of them sat on a Mole hill, woofed a vole down then fluffed up and went to sleep right in front of us confirms it!
Although I do believe they're European birds and disappear over the summer.
I actually knew about the Berkshire downs, but if its a known site it'd probably be a waste of time for photography. (General disturbance, having to approach on foot, etc) Its a shame.