Barn Owl

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Barn Owl
Photo Information
Copyright: Manyee Desandies (manyee) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3082 W: 231 N: 5811] (19540)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-11-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon Powershot S1-IS
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2005-10-31 10:42
Viewed: 874
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This barn owl is having a rude awakening. He is trying to gear up for his busy night tonight. Happy Halloween! (He was part of a wildlife demonstration at the Sandhill Crane Festival in Lodi.)

Barn Owls are more nocturnal than other owls. They wait until dark before starting out to hunt, except when the demands of their young may start them hunting at twilight. Normally, before daylight, they retire to some shadowed or enclosed area in an old building, a hollow tree or a hole in a rocky cliff and remain there drowsily inactive all day.

When hunting at night, the Barn Owl sweeps the fields on silent wings catching its prey with its long, slender claws. It prefers small mammals but occasionally in winter when mice and gophers are scarce, it will take small birds. The prey is tom apart and swallowed -- bones, skull and all. The indigestible parts are formed into pellets and disgorged at the roosting area or about the nest.

Barn owls choose nesting sights almost anywhere, in old buildings, hollow trees and on or in the ground. No effort is made to build or even line the nest. The female lays from 5 to 7 white, spotless eggs at intervals of 2 or 3 days. Incubation starts after the first egg is laid. It takes from 32 to 34 days for the first egg to hatch, so a nest may contain 4 or 5 young of different size and age.

The young are called "owlets." They are covered with snow-white down for 6 days. This is gradually replaced by a buff-colored down which develops into a thick, woolly covering that is still in evidence for about 50 days.

The little owlets are hungry all the time. Both parents are busy night after night ransacking the adjoining areas to catch an unbelievable number of small ground creatures to feed their ravenous babies.

Adult plumage is acquired in about 7-1/2 weeks, at which time, after much practicing about the nest, the young venture out for their first lessons in flying and hunting.

Source
khris_rino, marhowie, livios, radz, Signal-Womb, ellis49, wallhalla15, hummingbird24, Athila, scottevers7, coasties, TAZ, cecilia has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Well composed Manyee with good detail, colors and exposure (maybe a tiny bit OE on top). Your owl stands out well from the green BG also. Very good note, a great Halloween post. Thank You.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2309 W: 324 N: 4312] (16848)
  • [2005-10-31 11:46]

Manyee, although I do enjoy owls, I have never seen one of them - I guess we don't have them in Brazil.

The green bg is a nice contrast. I like pov and composition too.

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 609 W: 11 N: 598] (3157)
  • [2005-10-31 12:30]

Nice shot!well composed &nie details!

Aren't Owls just great Manyee, nice capture with good composition. The image is soft in focus but thats just the way it is sometimes. I assume on such opportunities you taken many shots. I usually force the camera to refocus the shot just to be sure Iv got a sharp one. Well done.

Hi Manyee,
it's a beautiful Owl you have capture.
It's a bit soft but still a very good picture.
Well composed, nice colours and good POV.
Very well done.

Excellent details & sharpness, perfect composition and great colours. Fantastic work! Well done, Manyee.

Hello Manyee,

This is a wonderful portrait of a very unusual looking owl.

My only nit is that there is a bit of softness and OE.

Otherwise, a great composition, details, and colors.

I have done a ws, hope you don't mind. I might have reduced some noise which resulted, however, the truth is, I pressed the update button before I had the chance, and am unsure if I can edit my own ws. :-(

Thank you.

Lovely shot Manyee,
Good colour, detail and sharpness.
Well composed and good exposure.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • Athila Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 310 W: 238 N: 421] (1503)
  • [2005-10-31 21:11]

Nice portrait Manyee!

Technically exposure is suberbe but focus is a little soft.

Composition is good with a nice blur that separate the bird from de BG. The patch of light on the head may seem as OE, but to me it's not. Portraitist often use a backlight that creates this kind of "rimlight" in the hairs. It's also called "hairlight". And it's an excellent way to separate the subject from the BG. A nice shot that just need a little sparpening in PP. TFS.

Hi Manyee,
I think barn owls are the most beautful of the owls. It does look like he just got woke up and drug into the light. He has beautiful colors and markings.
Scott

Hi Manyee,
this is a lovely owl, looks a little tired with the small eyes. The light was beautiful and the BG makes a good contrast. Thank you very much, bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hi Manyee

Wonderful capture. Nicely composed. Light was good and the exposure spot on. Great face on this Owl. Nice work. Thanks.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2395 W: 50 N: 3190] (10896)
  • [2005-11-01 5:13]

I wanted to say here that I appreciate this beautiful and interesting portrait ! Congratulations Manyee and thanks for sharing.
PS : the raison of my too short comment is on the forum...

Fantastic image,with great detail,colour and lovely pose...
Well done...
Cesie

Beautiful, Manyee!!!

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