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Yellow eyes watching


Yellow eyes watching
Photo Information
Copyright: Helene Provencher (chouette) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 0 N: 843] (3000)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-03-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Canon EF 75-300mm USM III
Exposure: f/11, 1/1000 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-02-15 21:30
Viewed: 1281
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
On a winter morning, this great gray owl was on his hunting perch, watching and listening for its next prey.

I hope you like it!
Thanks for viewing and comments.

Size: Length 61-84cm (24-33")
Wingspan up to 152cm (60") average 140cm (55")
Weight: 790-1454g (28-51oz)

Habits: These Owls are active at night, but also at dusk and just before dawn. They may also be active durin the day during breeding season. They fly with soft, slow wingbeats and generally do not often move more than short distances between perches and seldom glides. They fly close to the ground, usually less than 6 metres (20 feet) up, except when flying to a nest. May be very aggressive near the nest. The Great Gray Owl thermoregulates by roosting in dense cover. When hot, a Great Gray Owl will pant and droop its wings to expose an unfeathered area (apterid) under the wing.

Hunting & Food: The Great Gray Owl hunts mainly during early morning and late afternoon, especially during winter, but will also hunt during other daylight hours and at night. They are often seen perched on poles or fenceposts along roads. When hunting, a Great Gray Owl will use a perch to "sit and wait" or it may hunt through the forest a metre or so (a few feet) above the ground. When ground is covered with snow, a Great Gray Owl can hunt by hearing alone and often plunges into the snow to capture small rodents moving underneath as far as 30 centimetres (12 inches).
Although a very large Owl, small rodents are their primary prey (80 to 90% of diet) with voles being the most important food in Alaska, Canada, and Oregon. Pocket gophers are the most important food in California. Other mammals taken include rats, mice, shrews, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, moles, and weasels. Birds are rarely captured, and include crows, small hawks, American Robin, ducks and grouse. Frogs, toads, snakes, and insects are taken very infrequently.
Pellets are very large, about 7.5 to 10 cm (3-4") long and  2.5 to 5 cm(1-2") thick. They are dark greyish-black and compact.

Distribution: Great Gray Owls are found from Alaska across Canada, down the Northern Rocky Mountains, and northern Minnesota. They are also found in northern Europe and Asia.


Speed: 1/1000 f/11
ISO 400
Focal Length: 205mm

Tripod
SkyF, Luc, Merlin, sandpiper2, scottevers7, liquidsunshine, coasties, hummingbird24, gelor, glazzaro has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-02-15 22:02]

A beautiful bird. great pose, wonderful details and color. Nice composition.
Sky

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3066 W: 231 N: 6160] (21048)
  • [2006-02-16 1:42]

Magnificent details and POV on this gray owl, Helene.
What a beauty. Well captured. TFS. : )

Hi Helene,
The details are very good here, nice and natural colours,
great POV and lovely blue sky background.
Thanks for sharing!

Another wonderful capture, Helene! I love it! Great Grey Owls are very rare where I live -- only one confirmed sighting in the last 10 years!

Very nice - good angle, excellent exposure and focus.
Regards, Nigel.

Beautiful, just beautiful.

Everything is perfect, well done.

Hi Helene,
Like it? I love it! Outstanding exposure. Colors are beautiful, and detail is very sharp. I love the composition and framing. Great shot!
Scott

Great capture Helene,
Good detail, colours and sharpness.
Composition and exposure are good. Good POV and framing.
Thanks for posting, enjoy the rest of the week.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2006-02-16 11:18]

Superbe photo, composition irréprochable, excellente netteté, un très bon travail. Merci,

Mario

Hi Helene

Wonderful shot. Good POV and light. Very well composed. Tack sharp with crisp, clear details. Good work. Thanks.

Hi Helene!
Perfect shot. Great colors, pose, details, composition. Wonderful photo!
TFS;-)
regards
Dorota

A stunning capture and wonderful composition.

Details, colors, BG, exposure, POV, and pose are perfect.

Well done and thank you, Helene!

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1575 W: 5 N: 2181] (12250)
  • [2006-02-16 20:49]

Encore une belle présentation de ce magnifique spécimen. La pose est parfaite et les détails du plumage sont excellents. Félicitations pour le regard et les belles couleurs justes.


Merci Helene!


joseph

This photo shows wonderful skill on your part. Really, really nice. TFS

  • Great 
  • gelor Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 126 W: 3 N: 12] (523)
  • [2006-02-17 3:42]

Bonjour Hélène,
Superbe photo pour ce superbe oiseau. Parfait ! Merci pour le partage. Gérard

  • Great 
  • hibou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 216 W: 1 N: 329] (1617)
  • [2006-02-18 19:44]

Superbe Hélène ! Encore une fois. Bravo et merci de partager !
Donald L.

Good detail and expsoure, nice work.

Greg

bonjour helene
cette photo est vraiment" chouette"
bon POV et bonnes couleurs .
bravo.
laurent

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