<< Previous Next >>

Barn owl


Barn owl
Photo Information
Copyright: Elroyie David (elroyie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 394 W: 104 N: 1519] (6403)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-11-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF100-400 IS L
Exposure: f/8, 1/250 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2005-11-18 8:13
Viewed: 1568
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Barn Owl - Tyto alba

This one I spotted randomally while I was driving on a side road, I stood for a couple a minutes near this Owl, and I saw that it wasn't affraid from me, but I had no camera with me.
A day after I came with the camera, it was very dark as you see in the picture, the only light that I had was the light from the flash, I hope you will like it.

Descriptive notes.

Medium-sized, long-legged owl with distinctive heart shaped face.29-44 cm, 187-700 g, wingspan 87-93 cn.
Nominate race golden-buff above, with variable light greyish "veil", and finely streaked, mottled and dotted dark. White facial disc and underparts, sometimes with pale buff on sides of chest and/or fine spotting on breast and flanks. Legs densely feathered, eyes dark.
buoyant, slow, wavering flight, with legs dangling, appears ghost-like.

Habitat.

Depend on availability of prey, seasonality in temperate regions, and competition from other predators. In higher latitueds limited by severity of winters, rarely occurring N of areas with mean Jan temperature around or few degrees below 0 c.
Prefers open lowlands with some trees, including farmland with hedges, ditches, ponds and banks, roadside verges and related rougher terrain, and young conifer plantations, also around towns, villages or more isolated buildings suitable for daytime roosts and nest sites.
In lower latitudes, also semi arid and some arid regions with xerophytic vegetation, dwarf shrub and herb communities, deciduous or mixed eucalyptus woodland, acacia savanna, thorn bush, open marshes, irrigation areas, and cane fields, and cliffs and rocky coasts in some regions.

Food and Feeding

Basically diet small mammals, usually dominated by only few species, especially rats and mice. In Europe and North America also voles, gophers and shrews. In Africa also shrews, other insectivora and gerbils. In South America also small opossums. In Australia also bandicoots, and gliders.
In some temperate regions, when main prey species scarce or absent, many starve rather than switch to alternatives.
Hunts close to ground in searching flight, undulating and hovering, diving on to prey with talons extended, usually from height of 3 m, also commonly from perch. Normally strictly nocturnal, with high auditory acuity in locating prey in complete darkness.
marhowie, Libor, moemf, wallhalla15, mogens-j, hummingbird24, sAner has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Very well composed and a nice POV Elroyie. Excellent sharpness, detail and color..Looks great against the black and the barbed wire adds to the comp. nicely IMO. Perhaps a TINY bit more light. Very well done!

  • Great 
  • Libor Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 176 W: 1 N: 25] (1101)
  • [2005-11-18 9:14]

:o) wauuu excellent portrait of Toto alba
perfect composition and night atmosphere
good work TFS Libor

  • Great 
  • moemf Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 116 W: 0 N: 160] (701)
  • [2005-11-18 9:16]

Well composed photo. Very good POV, details and colour. Well done.

Very nice portrait shot Elroyie, great sharpness and POV, well captured too. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent capture Elroyie. Excellent composition, very natural colours and clever handling of the light though I agree with Howard - a tiny lighter would bring the owl more in focus.

Wonderful shot of this owl, Elroyie.

How ever did you manage to find it in the dark to get this great shot?

Nice head to toe capture, POV, pose.

And while I think a bit more light would have been good, as the others say, a very interesting and lovely photo.

Thank you for sharing.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-11-19 4:29]

Magnificent shot Elroyie. Good details, excellent exposure and nice colors. I would have cropped the barbwire out of the frame though. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

Great photo of this owl! You are so lucky to see this beauty! This is one of my favorite birds but we don't have it here :-(
You did a great job by taking this bird in the dark. DOF, POV and sharpness are excellent. TFS!

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3064 W: 231 N: 6159] (21044)
  • [2005-11-20 3:39]

It is absolutely beautiful, Elroyie. I love it.
Thank you for posting. : )

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-01-29 7:40]

Hello Elroyie
Very beautifull owl, scarce into Canada now.Excellent composition & very natural colours too, thanks for posting.

Regards,
Christian

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF