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Snowy owl in flight


Snowy owl in flight
Photo Information
Copyright: Lise De Serres (lizzie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 214 W: 0 N: 635] (2847)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-26
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, Nikon 300mm VR 2.8 D + TC 2X
Exposure: f/8, 1/2000 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus), Superb Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-29 17:55
Viewed: 918
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Here's an attempt of an in flight shot of the snowy owl. Again, the blue sky and the sun weren't at the rendez-vous, but those birds looks so good when they fly that I've decided to share this one in pastel colours with you!

Lise

This yellow-eyed white bird is easily recognizeable. It is 53-65 cm (20-26 inches) long with a 125-150 cm (50-60 in) wingspan. The adult male is virtually pure white, but females and young birds have some dark scalloping; the young are heavily barred, and dark spotting may even be predominate. Its thick plumage, heavily-feathered feet, and coloration render the Snowy Owl well-adapted for life north of the Arctic Circle.
Snowy Owl calls are varied, but the alarm call is a barking, almost quacking krek-krek-krek-krek; the female also has a softer mewling pyee-pyee-pyee-pyee or prek-prek-prek. The song is a deep repeated gawh. They may also clap their beak in response to threats or annoyances. While called clapping, it is believed this sound may actually be a clicking of the tongue, not the beak.

Behaviour
The Snowy Owl is typically found in the northern circumpolar region, where it makes its summer home north of latitude 60 degrees north. However, it is a particularly nomadic bird, and because population fluctuations in its prey species can force it to relocate, it has been known to breed at more southerly latitudes. During the last ice age, there was an Central European paleosubspecies of this bird, Bubo scandiacus gallicus, but subspecies are not recognized among the living population.
This species of owl nests on the ground, building a scrape on top of a mound or boulder. A site with good visibility, ready access to hunting areas, and a lack of snow is chosen. Gravel bars and abandoned eagle nests may be used. Breeding occurs in May, and depending on the amount of prey available, clutch sizes range from 5 to 14 eggs, which are laid singly, approximately every other day over the course of several days. Hatching takes place approximately five weeks after laying, and the pure white young are cared for by both parents. Both the male and the female defend the nest with their young from predators. Some stay on the breeding grounds while others migrate.

Diet
This powerful bird relies primarily on lemmings and other rodents for food, but at times of low prey density, or during the Ptarmigan nesting period, they may switch to juvenile Ptarmigan. As opportunistic hunters, they feed on a wide variety of small mammals and birds, but will take advantage of larger prey, frequently following traplines to find food. Nesting birds require roughly two lemmings per day, and a family may eat up to 1500 lemmings before the young birds set off to fend for themselves.
CeltickRanger, eqshannon, jusninasirun, Evelynn, Dan, rundive, Bufo, pvs, dejo, JPlumb, juraj-jakubik, kjpweb, Islander_, Luis52, alguazul, NinaM, Adanac, marhowie, spalaxtr, Meshersmith has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To eqshannon: workshoplizzie 2 01-30 19:22
To sandpiper2: Workshoplizzie 1 01-30 16:59
To Bufo: Workshoplizzie 1 01-30 16:39
To Evelynn: Thank youlizzie 1 01-30 16:24
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Critiques [Translate]

bonjour Lise

quelle superbe chance que tu as de photographier
ce magnifique oiseau à l'envol, malgrè les mauvaises
conditions d'éclairage comme tu mentionne,
tu as su faire une très belle photo, joli détails du plumage,
j'aimes la façon dont sont ces ailes à l'envol, TFS

Asbed

Hey Lise,

Wonderful shot here,
I have never seen one of this owls in real life but your pictures paints a beautiful view,
Very well done,
TFS

fototab

Hello Lise,
This is one awesome capture. Hard to get details against the sky but you have managed it very well. What a beauty of this owl in flight. Please allow me to add this to my personal theme.

Regards,
Jusni

Hi Lise

Brilliant capture! There is an atmosphere in this picture that I cannot describe - I think it has to do with the overall 'whiteness' in it. Very appealing image!

Thanks for sharing and Best
Ravi

This is lovely Lise. I don't think I've ever noted the distinctive markings of this owl in flight. It is certainly good enough to make me jealous. I haven't posted anything in a while. I am working on setting up a new computer system.... it is giving me fits!

Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • Dan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 116 W: 0 N: 363] (1777)
  • [2008-01-29 22:15]

Hi Lise,

Just excelent imagine, subject and composition. Zou are fortunate to have the chanse to see this kind of birds!
Congratulation, Dan

Bonjour Lise,
petite veinarde !!!!
Je suis jaloux, je n'ai même pas encore eu la chance de voir ce magnifique oiseau en réel, et toi tu fais une superbe photo et en plein vol !!!!
Bravo Lise elle est très réussie, j'aime beaucoup,
amitiés,
Pat

Bonjour Lise,

pour un essai, il est transformé... Ta photo est très belle, et compte tenu de la couleur de l'oiseau et du ciel, tu ne pouvais faire beaucoup mieux dans ces conditions. TFS
Amitiés
Fred

Hi Lise,
another wish-I-could-ever-take-a-picture-like-this picture. A gorgreous in flight shot of this snowy owl. Thought it didn't really stand out against the bright coloured sky. Therefore I did a little workshop, just for the suggestion.
I like this one,
JAcob

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1159 W: 255 N: 2639] (11925)
  • [2008-01-30 0:10]

Hi Lise,

An awesome capture,the details and colors are still high despite you captured it against a rather difficult BG,well compose,tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • dejo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 355 W: 51 N: 476] (2058)
  • [2008-01-30 1:02]

Hello Lise,
This is really magnificent bird! Nice and sharp in-flight capture, great pose and details!
best regards, Dejan

Hi Lise, this is an absolutely gorgeous shot of this Snowy Owl. I've never seen one of these so this is a great introduction. You shot it at 600 mm, in-flight and with a doubler yet. I'm very impressed with the sharp shot you were able to achieve. I wouldn't complain about the sky too much. Very nice.

Thanks, John

Hi Lise,

Stunning shot - can't say much more than that!

What a beautiful bird she is, and so well captured... great stuff.

Thanks
Doug

Hi Lise

It's great to the snowy owl in flight, I think you've done a good job and it has good sharpness. Good composition too.

Just for fun I have done a workshop too, just to see what it would look like under a blue sky; hope you don't mind.

Chris

thank you for sharing another amazing pic, greetings Ori

Hi Lise
Nice flight shot, with perfect positioning of the owl within the frame. I actually like the white background, as it suits the subject better, blue sky would be distracting, I think.
Magnificent shot of magnificent animal.
Juraj

Hi Lise,
That's a beauty! Excellent focus and detail despite the unruly sky. Very well done! Cheers, Klaus

It is wonderful...you do not get this type of photo often..well perhaps some do but this is a super gem for you. Congratulations!
Bob

Bonjour Lise,

Compte tenu des conditions d'éclairage difficiles et de l'oiseau en mouvement, cette photo est très bien réussie! Peut-être, pourrait-on jouer un peu avec le traitement de la photo, augmenter le contraste et la saturation, par example, pour essayer de démarquer encore plus l'oiseau du ciel. Mais ce n'est que des suggestions. Félicitations et merci!

Eugène

  • Great 
  • rdfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 375 W: 0 N: 747] (3202)
  • [2008-01-30 10:39]

Bonjour Lise
Quelle belle prise, excellente netteté, couleurs et lumière, très beau sujet. Merci pour le partage.
Amicalement Robi

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1357 W: 72 N: 2886] (9535)
  • [2008-01-30 11:56]

Hello Lise,
Wonderful in flight shot of this Snowy Owl. The soft pastel colours made this photo very special.
Regards,
Peter

Wow! Lise comme il est impressionnant toutes les ailes recourbées comme cela , avec beaucouop de netteté et son blanc qui se détache sur ce ciel bleu, Une très gtrande réussite .
Bravo
Marie

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1026 W: 5 N: 2888] (10447)
  • [2008-01-30 17:25]

Hi Lise.
It is always very nice for Me to see Your excellent photos. All of them are with high quality and sharpness. You are one of the most great photographers of TN.
TFS Your work.
Luis52.

Good catch
Qué suerte poder fotografiar esta especie en vuelo. Preciosa.

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1482 W: 18 N: 3044] (11160)
  • [2008-01-31 11:48]

Hi Lise

This must be such an amazing sight to see. You have caught the owl in flight beautifully. I love the pose and the frozen action. Very well done

TFS

Karan

Good job catching this owl in-flight. I think if the sky were adjusted in PP it might look too unnatural. I like it the way it is.

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
  • [2008-02-01 16:26]

Bonsoir Lise, je ne pouvais passer sans commenter cet autre petit chef-d'oeuvre, tout en simplicité et en pastels. Simple mais vraiment beau et efficace, la grâce et la beauté de cet oiseau sont là, imprimés devant nous. Merci encore de ta belle sensibilité!

Francine

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
  • [2008-02-01 19:07]

Hello Lise,
You are quickly becoming the photographer I would most like to be able to become. Your images are always top notch in my books and this one is no different.
Rick

Cool inflight Lise, I like it.
I like most your POV and the pose of the snowy owl, Great!
Well done,
Howard

Hi Lise,
You wrote that you like my Buzzard, However your this photo incredible and much more better than my photo. TFS, Regards,
Mustafa

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-02 13:41]

Hello Lise

Lucky you,this is a wonderful in flight shot.The focus is sharp with excellent detail.
The plumage shows well.
You have captured the intensity in the eye of this wonderful owl.
The colours are natural and vivid.
TFS

Rob

Hola Lise
Capture spectaculaire, maniement excellent des blancs, une merveille, mes respects pour toi, la beauté d'un oiseau en vol tellement bien obtenu mérite des applaudissements, espère que le traducteur que j'utilise :D est bon Salutations Robert

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