Owl chick close-ups

pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
edited June 9, 2008 in Wildlife
We have a somewhat used-to-people family of long-eared owls living in a park in the city. Six fledgelings! They let you in closer than you can focus to - and use you as a practise target for their stink eye.

Enjoy :D

#1 Mom-owl silhoutte
305523377_zWoy2-L-1.jpg


#2 Woken up by the hustle going on under the tree. Not impressed either.
305525286_xp3jS-L-1.jpg


#3 This one decided that said hustle was not worth waking up for.
305527722_JDg2y-L-1.jpg


#4 Yaaaaawn!
305531174_SErDE-L-1.jpg


#5 The chicks showing what they thought about five photographers falling over themselves to get a shot: indifferent, annoyed and fast asleep.
305526312_SdcBE-L-1.jpg


#6 Once we had them awake: The Dude abides pose.
305532088_iFGb2-L-1.jpg


#7 & 8 The bull fighter pose, Olé!
305526865_3Vs3s-L-1.jpg

305532778_gfaHU-L-1.jpg


#9 This how close they let you approach - The Sergio Leone composition!
305533928_tH3Km-L.jpg


#10 They say owls are wise, doesn't this look just that :D
305537885_kL8gm-L.jpg


#11 "I wanna make you withdraw."
305539154_SCtay-L.jpg


#12 "I said..."
305539603_C55Ke-L.jpg


#13 Somewhat surprisingly, the last shots I had were of a clear Jedi mind trick, "These are not the owls you are looking for..."
305540143_Wwtip-L.jpg

C&C welcomed, tell me what you think! :thumb
Creativity's hard.

http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/

Comments

  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2008
    10, 11 and 12 all do it for me. I like the expressions that you captured in those images and the focus is tack sharp! The back-lit momma is quite nice too. The Bull Fighter pose looks like it shows some mighty scrawny legs. rolleyes1.gifThanks for sharing. I have yet to be able to photograph any type of owl except when in captivity and even those aren't that good.
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • JavaLoverJavaLover Registered Users Posts: 306 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    Very cool! I love your commentary and especially like 4,9,11 and 12. thumb.gif
    Canon 40D, stock lens and now a Canon 55mm-250mm f/4-5.6 IS.
    tfarley.smugmug.com
  • Jack'll doJack'll do Registered Users Posts: 2,977 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    A really nice series but I too find 4 9 10 11 & 12 special. thumb.gifthumb
    jrg.smugmug.com

    Jack
    (My real name is John but Jack'll do)
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    Maestro wrote:
    10, 11 and 12 all do it for me. I like the expressions that you captured in those images and the focus is tack sharp! The back-lit momma is quite nice too. The Bull Fighter pose looks like it shows some mighty scrawny legs. rolleyes1.gifThanks for sharing. I have yet to be able to photograph any type of owl except when in captivity and even those aren't that good.

    Thanks a lot :D

    I thought burrowing owls' legs were pretty long, but turns out long-eared owls can match that. Good for catching rodents.

    Shooting owls is about finding them in te first place and then hoping they sit somewhere visible and wishing they do something funny. I got extremely lucky with these (after being tipped off about them) lol3.gif
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    JavaLover wrote:
    Very cool! I love your commentary and especially like 4,9,11 and 12. thumb.gif
    Jack'll do wrote:
    A really nice series but I too find 4 9 10 11 & 12 special. thumb.gifthumb

    Thanks! The ninth is my favorite, just being able to do that is something else.
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    great set...clap.gif I'd love to come across something like that
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    Good set! thumb.gif 2,5 and 12 are my favorites!
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    dbaker1221 wrote:
    great set...clap.gif I'd love to come across something like that

    Thanks! I'm sure you will if you look around :D
    raptorcaptor wrote:
    Good set! thumb.gif 2,5 and 12 are my favorites!

    Thank you!
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • NorthernFocusNorthernFocus Registered Users Posts: 1,347 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    Excellent set of images and great comentary to go along with them clap.gif
    Dan

    My Photo Gallery:Northern Focus Photography
    I wish I was half the man that my dog thinks I am...
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2008
    Wonderful captures in some very challenging light. clap.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2008
    articblooms wrote:
    Excellent set of images and great comentary to go along with them clap.gif

    Thanks a lot, glad you liked them :D
    Harryb wrote:
    Wonderful captures in some very challenging light. clap.gif

    Thank you!

    It was a bit of a struggle trying to find angles with a darker backround, with the chicks sitting in the shade. I was actually surprised at how well most of the shots turned out while doing the pp, I thought I'd have mostly blown out skies and all that...
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2008
    Harryb wrote:
    Wonderful captures in some very challenging light. clap.gif

    15524779-Ti.gif
    Benjamin
    My Galleries
    Flicker
    G+
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2008
    bfjr wrote:
    15524779-Ti.gif

    wings.gif
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2008
    great set --it is hard to find owls anymore headscratch.gif good find and post thumb.gif
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2008
    jwear wrote:
    great set --it is hard to find owls anymore headscratch.gif good find and post thumb.gif

    Thanks!

    I'll have to admit to seeing owls in the real wild, outside the city, about once. Heard a few though.

    Owls in the city are whole 'nuther story. The Finnish national soccer team is now named 'Huuhkajat' (translates 'Eagle owls') after the Eagle owl that took residence at the stadium. The naming occured after the owl did this lol3.gif

    Did I mention that said owl, now known as Bubi - after a well known local sports commentator - also got the title of the city's citizen of the year for that stunt.

    So photographing that bird would be the next goal I guess :D
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • grimacegrimace Registered Users Posts: 1,537 Major grins
    edited June 6, 2008
    raptorcaptor wrote:
    Good set! thumb.gif 2,5 and 12 are my favorites!

    I agree. Great work!!
    -Adam
    www.adamstravelphotography.com

    Facebook
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited June 9, 2008
    grimace wrote:
    I agree. Great work!!

    Thanks a bunch :D
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
Sign In or Register to comment.