Whooo are you?

[Saorsa]

[NorthernFocus]

That's cute. Kilroy the owl.

[IzzieK]

A furry owl, Dan? I would have said Kilroy too because he's my email avatar but you beat me to it.

[bnnrcn]

I don't know who it is but it really looks nice behind those branches:-) Would it stand out more if you cropped it a little from right and left..? just an opinion..

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[Saorsa]

I don't know who it is but it really looks nice behind those branches:-) Would it stand out more if you cropped it a little from right and left..? just an opinion..

I tried that crop but, it gets a bit noisy and the texture of the nest disguises that. I think this crop also emphasizes the sneaky look of the little guy.

[Marie Hass]

I like this. The crop is unconventional, but it really works well. Has someone ID'ed this guy? He looks like a Great Horned juvenile?

Marie

[Saorsa]

I like this. The crop is unconventional, but it really works well. Has someone ID'ed this guy? He looks like a Great Horned juvenile?

Marie

Yep, definitely a juvenile Great Horned Owl. We had a couple take over an unused eagle nest and they raised two pair in two years.



I have several blog posts on them at http://birdsnbugs.wordpress.com/?s=owl

[IzzieK]

My mouth just dropped! Baby owls. WoW!!! great shot! That was really beautiful...

[Geoff F]

I suspect the nickname which Dan meant was Chad. From the old wartime cartoons showing two eyes, a long nose and an almost bald head, peering over a wall, just like this owl.

And there was always a slogan referring to shortages, which started as Wot no . . .

Kilroy wrote Kilroy was here all over the place. I forget the full story but wasn't he once a building or shipyard inspector who signed his name on areas which he had inspected?

I forget; something to look up, unless someone can come up with the full answer.

[Saorsa]

I suspect the nickname which Dan meant was Chad.

Please note: I am from Florida, we are sensitive to mentions of CHAD!

[Saorsa]

Here's another when they were a bit older and climbing around in the tree

[bnnrcn]

They are lovely...isn't there a way to make them stand out?they are nearly the same colour as the branch of the the tree and this effects their beautiy.

[Saorsa]

They are lovely...isn't there a way to make them stand out?they are nearly the same colour as the branch of the the tree and this effects their beautiy.

Getting a decent shooting angle inside a pine tree is tough. Their coloration is a part of their camoflage and means safety. So, they usually stick pretty tight to the trunk. This was unusual in that I had both on the same branch.

Here are a couple more.





Sometimes it's tough just finding them when you know where they are.

[Brownbear]

Thanks for sharing... Wonderful images of a beautiful bird. Truly special.

[mknittle]

Please note: I am from Florida, we are sensitive to mentions of CHAD!

nice shots.

[deetheturk]

Great images Saorsa,well captured

[bnnrcn]

They are all very nice but I most like the last one because the branches are thinner and the bird can be seen very clearly,a nice composition with green and what a look in the eyes! Just great,thank you for sharing:-)

[Bobobird]

Are you using flash by any chance?

[Saorsa]

Are you using flash by any chance?

I occasionally use a better beamer on an SB-800 but not in the photos presented here. Since the nest was very easy to get to and nearby, I could go up when I knew the sun was in a good position and hope the birds were too. I did use the beamer for about 10 minutes one evening when the light was dropping. Here is a shot from that but it was not as dark as the background would indicate.