Barn Owl mantling prey

I was actually too close and using the 300mm prime - full frame width shot - hence lack of wingtips! Shame about the blade of grass over his face! Actually taken at 12:20pm - they're not just night and dusk creatures..

A good try Andy and good to see something different for this bird, but sadly it doesn't hit the mark for me.

There is not enough room for the Owl to 'breathe', the wing is clip and ultimately, it's soft, not sharp!!! I am sure you will have better results soon.

Ah good point - It is actually very sharp - forgot to re-sharpen after resize

The size was the size - wasn't much I could do about that and if I'd moved back, it would have flown off. Larger version here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/elliott.aje.andy/Welney15thMarch2010#5448905319621589490 - it's definitely sharp!

New version attached, sharpened for web viewing and saved at the best JPG compression under 200k...

Great to see a different type of BO shot,nicely caught, and I am glad you didn't attempt to move back as the shot would have been lost. Well done.

Fran

well caught and good to see a different shot like you said if you would have moved you would have lost the moment

I'm not sure that the clipped wing is such an issue, a technical flaw maybe, but an excellent shot of barn owl behaviour. Repost is definitely better. The grass across its face is a shame, but again, it is a true reflection of life and I would be very pleased to have that on my hard drive.
eric

Thanks! - one day I will post a 'final' image first time..

Shows the behaviour very nicely, well done .

Must be a great feeling to have that happen right in your field of view, not somthing that can be set up , not somthing that someone can lay on for you , you were there and you pressed the button , well done .

Bob.

I too would have preferred the wing tip to be in shot but I would happily settle for this any day. It is very frustrating when you try so hard to fill the frame with an image and then find yourself too close.

I'm almost tempted to add the Zuiko 90-250 f2.8 to my long-list of bankruptcy-inducing-stuff. The 300 is wonderful, but sometimes you can't walk backwards. I'm glad there seems to be a view that this was worth sharing - technical glitches aside, I haven't seen many shots of a wild (and, indeed from another shot, I notice, un-ringed) owl mantling on the ground. The bird was on a 45° bank (the "10 mile bank" leading up to Welney WWT), allowing me to get this helpful angle.

I really like this one - no problem with the wing tips for me - I think it is an excellent shot and different to the usual barn owl images.

Different and nice for it.

agree with above comments, on grass etc, but a fine and very different barn owl picture which is great to see.


mark.g

Hi Andy,

a lovely shot showing the bird in its true habitat and all the better for it

Lovely shot Andy.

simon

No problem with the wing tip but its just a shame about the two stems of grass.
The sharp one isnt a problem but might be worth while just trying to clone out the OOF one.

Major.

This is a very nice behavioural shot Andy - well caught

Hi Andy, this is great and like you have said it was just a pity about the grass going across it's face.

Yep pity about the grass but that's nature. The wingtip is not an issue for me and its nice to see a different barnie shot

Lovely shot and different from the norm. I think I prefer shots with this more wild angle to them.

Ian

Thanks for the comments - it encourages me to go out and be lucky again!