I think this photo is pretty intense.
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Last night I discovered I’d never posted this shot to my blog and that really surprised me because I like it very much. It may look familiar to long-time followers of Feathered Photography because I’ve posted other similar photos in the series but this one is new to my blog.
The male owl had just lifted off from the larger clump of sagebrush we see at the bottom of the frame and was about to deliver the vole to his mate and two chicks at the nest. Almost immediately after this shot was taken he veered off sharply to our left and flew to the nest which I wasn’t close to. While he was banking and turning in flight he transferred the vole to his beak which he usually did in this situation before he delivered the meal to the female. I think he figured it was safer for him to deliver it that way because she was larger and very aggressive toward him during the transfer. He would just drop the prey on the ground in front of her and quickly vamoose.
I love this shot with him flying very low and looking directly at me so I took the liberty of making it larger than I usually post to my blog (1100 pixels on the long side rather than 900 pixels). He often checked me out like this just before he turned toward the nest, probably for reassurance that I wasn’t a potential threat.
This situation is the only time he ever paid any attention to me and I spent several days with him.
Ron
Notes:
- The photo was taken on 6/24/10 at Montana’s Red Rock Lakes NWR.
- From my image techs you’ll see that the photo was taken in low light. With the older technology of my Canon 7D I never liked to use ISO 800 or above for fear of getting excess noise in my photos but in this situation with a bird in flight I had no practical choice. At f/5.6 my depth of field was extremely shallow so I was just lucky he was flying straight at me.
- Some knowledgeable folks almost assume that an owl flying this close to the photographer and directly at him/her has been baited and more often than not they’d be right. But rest assured, this owl wasn’t baited. I never bait.
Fabulous! Beautiful! You are so lucky to have witnessed this!
Great shot!
Ron, to repeat …. what a fantastic shot. You should win a prize for this one!! Thank you for finding this one in your archives.
I don’t need a prize but I appreciate your vote of appreciation, Laura!
I missed them this year. Your photo is lovely as always.
I missed them this year too, April. Disturbing…
Maybe her thought you looked hungry!
He. Ugh. But great shot! WOW indeed.
Thanks, Arwen.
CAPITAL WOW. And rather a lot of other superlatives.
Thanks, EC.
I’ll chip in my WOW!!! as well! 🙂 This one needs to be on your wall too! He looks a little “henpecked” — wings and tail. His mate must have really been impatient for that food! I NEVER tire of seeing him! 🙂
I’ve actually considered framing and hanging it, Marty. Still might…
Nice!!
🙂
WOW❤️
That’s it 😁❗️
🙂
I remember seeing a similar shot earlier this year (maybe ?) and I remember reacting with a hearty WOW!! That hearty WOW bears repeating–WOW!! And a YIPPEE YOWZER! needs to go with it. Just amazing, but photography is definitely your superpower! 😉
The intensity of raptors stirs the soul, doesn’t it? I think if a human can see that and walk away unchanged, there’s something seriously wrong with that human!! And how special that the owl allowed you into his world. Obviously, you’re a very special person!
Oh, and as usual, I’m behind on things again. LOVED the prairie falcon dragging the duck shots!! Personally, I find raptors to be quite intelligent overall, especially in the arena of food acquisition, strategizing and planning! (Accipiters are excluded from that strategizing and planning discussion, however.)
“how special that the owl allowed you into his world”
Exactly, Laura – you get it. If those owls had shown signs of nervousness with me even that far away from the nest I’d have left the area completely and wouldn’t have come back while they were nesting. I feel very privileged that they accepted my presence.
It NEVER crossed my mind that you baited that bird. After all, he’s already carrying his prize AND I know who you are! But when they allow you into their world, well, it’s just magic. That’s the lure of falconry to me. I’ll fight like Heck to keep going, too!!
Spectacular Ron. Intense that many have used here is a good description. He looks like he is bringing it directly to you. The job of bringing food to their families is something Owls and all birds of prey take seriously. I never thought of this being a baited photo, but I guess to get one to fly directly at you maybe is a fairly common practice among less ethical wildlife photographers.
I’m afraid it’s more than just “fairly” common, Everett. If folks only knew…
What a rush! Simply spectacular Ron!
Thank you, Diane.
Fantastic shot Ron
!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
WOW! That IS intense! 🙂 Capturing the owl with wings fully extended and coming straight at you has me grinning ear to ear. 🙂 If you didn’t know better you’d think he was coming FOR rather than AT you! The format width REALLY sets it off.
Judy, I was grinning for days when I was up there with the owl and for weeks after…
Intense, indeed!
Thanks, Cindy.
Wonderful!
Thanks, Nancy.
WOW – I agree fantastic shot! Instead of him veering off as you said, this shot is like you took it at the nest showing him bringing food to the nest! Absolutely a great shot!! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Dick. Even though I knew where the nest was (at the base of a sagebrush) I never approached it until my next trip to the area weeks later when the chicks had dispersed and all the owls had left the area.
This is such a super shot, looking right into the owl’s eyes is captivating. I like this extra width display very much. Being able to spend several days observing this owl must have been a special time for you.
Dave, my time with this owl and his family was one of my half-dozen or so most memorable experiences as a bird photographer. I’m glad to know that you appreciate the larger format.
Fantastic shot!
Thanks, Joanne.