This One's for Jeeperman...Barred Owl

[jprzybyla]

Will this bring you to Florida...

[jeeperman]

Is that a squirl in his mouth? Nice capture, looks like you were facing mid day sun...good you were able to catch him in the shade. The moss in the background somehow works better than one you previously posted I think. Well done.

[jprzybyla]

It is either a squirrel or a small rabbit. I go back and forth trying to decide. The owls nest every spring in the top of that dead tree. The area is across a canal in the cypress forest. It cannot be approached closely (I think that is good). The side of the dead tree the owls roost on is always in the shade. The nest is just below where the owl is standing. To shoot that I had to spot meter on the owl to expose for the deep shadow it was in. Even then I had to open the shadows somewhat in Lightroom.

[jamn4ex]

Wow! I am ready!

[Bobobird]

Great catch. One thing about birding - we need our eyes and ears to be very efficient.