A Couple Short Eared Owls

pathfinder

I continue to edit older images shot a year ago, but I think these two frames of SE owls are worth a look, maybe.

400mm f3.2

343mm at f4

David_S85

Both good. Like the first a tad better. Placing more room in front of him/her to fly into was a good edit choice.

Stumblebum

First one rocks Jim!

bfluegie

I like the first one a bit more because of the softer tones in the rest of the scene. They're both great though. Boy, you can really tell that these guys have great natural camo. What beauties.

denisegoldberg

These are wonderful.
I think I prefer the first image as well although the second one is very powerful - I feel like the owl is looking right at me.

kdog

Splendidly tracked. The eye contact on #2 gets my vote. Great shots, Jim!

roaddog52

@kdog said:
Splendidly tracked. The eye contact on #2 gets my vote. Great shots, Jim!

I agree!

Giphsub

@roaddog52 said:

@kdog said:
Splendidly tracked. The eye contact on #2 gets my vote. Great shots, Jim!

I agree!

Me too!

pathfinder

Thanks for all the comments guys and gals. Not sure if I have posted this one somewhere here on dgrin already or not.

At first glance this image looks really wierd, most of us have never seen a bird in level fllight with its head turned 180º so that it can look up above itself - most avian predators are almost never concerned with being attacked from above - but this SE owl was in the midst of aerial combat with a northern harrier for the mouse in its claws - hence, it is flying with its head turned completely around to search for the harrier flying above it. Photographed 12-21-2019

I think the shadow on the owl's face is from the harrier - I think the shadow on the owl's face contributes to the illusion the owl is upside down.

ziggy53

^^That is a gorgeously unique shot, with the wings in glide and the tail fully flaired, having the head turned does look surreal!
Perfect timing, perfect composition, wonderful exposure, and great drama!

pathfinder

Thanks Ziggy, but all I did was hold the shutter down while the owl and a northern harrier fought over the mouse.

Worse - I didn't even realize what was going on in the photo until I had a chance to examine it closely on a large monitor. I thought the owl was flying upside down when I saw in on the LCD on my camera. It wasd only when posting it here that I noticed the shadow on the owls's face which meant there HAD to be something above casting that shadow out of my frame, and in the series of HFR images I shot, I realized it had to be the harrier's shadow.

I have caught a lot of owls in flight with their victims in their talons, but never with their heads turned a complete 180º before.

It does look strange at first, doesn't it!?

Just think how competent and confident a pilot ( owl ) has to be to turn its head 180º i mid-flight. They are truly amazing fliers.

Lab_Tested

That shot is very cool. Congrats on creating one of those optical illusions that can be seen in different ways. My brain keeps flipping its interpretation between two options.

fool4thecity

Love shot 2; those eyes, the wings!

pathfinder

I was so very fortunate to be able to follow those owls through three winter seasons.

They truly are amazing to watch hunt and fight for their territory.

The northern harriers which live there year round cut them no slack. The aerial combat is very interesting at times

jerryr

View nice - great detail -especially the second photo!!