Barn Owl Hunting

I really don't see many Barn Owls in the Yorkshire Dales but a recent visit to Scotland allowed me a little time to watch these beautiful birds hunting. I must have been well hidden away as the bird flew very close at this point necessitating a rapid change in the focusing limiter on the lens!

1D3 300mm + 1.4x TC ISO:800 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3 on Tripod

Thanks for looking

Simon

Hi a nice shot but would look better head on to you.

Phil.

A great flight shot a slight turn of the head would have helped but you have got to take what you can get and you've done well. I live in the Dales and we have a pair on 5 eggs in one of our barns at the moment.

It's a very pleasing image to the eye, one of those images that reminds you of late summer evenings.

And your not wrong I've seen more alpaca's in the dales than I have barn owls. They are not shy birds, the ones I've seen on the south side of nottingham, will fly over your head looking for food while you snap away.

Nice shot, I agree with it probably being better head on, but the background really shows the bird off.

An excellent result Simon. I'd imagine that these are few and far between way up in Scotland. Looks like a male to me although I am leaving myself open to being shot down. Nice detail in the plumage and I note lack of leg ring.

I love it! They aren't that common up here (at least I rarely see them). Which part of Scotland out of interest?

Saw them on Mull Ian. There seems to be a healthy population there and plenty of Short Eared Owls as well (saw four hunting the same patch at once)