Short-eared Owl

Gallery: AvianPosted July 7, 2012341 views21 comments

Hi everyone,
Angie, Natalie and I have just relocated to Texas (closer to our second home in Ecuador and a lot more birds than Washington). On our move down we stopped at relatives who live near the Snake River Birds of Prey Area and I got out and photographed one evening. I found a group of Short-eared Owls on one of the side roads and this bird obliged for me by perching on a nice perch. This bird had a badly damaged right eye (which can't be seen in this photo) but still seemed to be quite healthy. It's full frame.

7D 500F4 1/640 F5.6, iso 500, handheld out car window

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on July 7, 2012 at 2:51 PM

The light is wonderful and the perch is excellent. Nice muted background, outstanding!

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on July 7, 2012 at 3:56 PM

Well done! I like the light and pose. Good detail from a steady hand.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on July 7, 2012 at 4:03 PM

Nate, sure sorry you're no longer in the PNW, but I understand your reasons for moving. The long bleak PNW winters can be very depressing, not to mention few shooting opps.
Beautiful light here, great perch and pose, and very nice detail.

Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on July 7, 2012 at 4:16 PM

Quite a stately look to this bird, Nate, especially with this lighting, pose and perch. Beautiful shades of brown. Good luck in your move to Texas.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on July 7, 2012 at 5:53 PM

Sweet! Love the light. Congrats on your new location. I'm sure we will see many more shots from your new location.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on July 7, 2012 at 6:39 PM

Hi Nate,

I think this is really beautiful. I love the BG color and overall monochromatic feel to this.

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 7, 2012 at 7:01 PM

Excellent. Great light; nice perch and posture and composition.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on July 7, 2012 at 7:19 PM

I very much like the light in this image, Nate. That and the simplicity of elements and color.

Do these birds breed at that rehab center?

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on July 7, 2012 at 10:16 PM

Thanks for your comments everyone!

Govind, this bird and the others were wild birds photographed near the Snake River Canyon near Kuna, Idaho. I don't think they breed this species at the rehab center.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on July 7, 2012 at 11:24 PM

Lovely portrait of this beauty. Best of luck with the move, Nate. Does this mean I have to keep Ken company up here? ;)

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on July 7, 2012 at 11:25 PM

Thanks, Nate.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on July 8, 2012 at 5:50 AM

A Beauty Nate

A great bird in sweet light on a nice perch, and that background is perfect too. Nice Work!!! Going to miss you up here.

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on July 8, 2012 at 7:27 AM

The LP looks fantastic Nate! Excellent light management and "duo-tone" color scheme.
Very nice & welcome to the lone star state

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on July 8, 2012 at 2:02 PM

Sweet light and terrific detail.

Snake River Birds of Prey neither rehabs birds of breeds Short-eared Owls. There are bird rehabbers in the Boise area, but if the bird is doing okay, they probably will leave it alone. By the way, the raptor density in that part of the Snake River canyon is astonishing.

Nate, good luck in Texas. There are more birds, and it's closer to South America, but, except possibly for Austin, it is still Texas.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Geoff Powell on July 9, 2012 at 8:32 AM

Stunning. Well done. Good luck with the new location.

Registered on March 20, 2012, 21 Posts, 170 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on July 9, 2012 at 4:04 PM

Absolute stunner Nate.

May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on July 10, 2012 at 9:01 PM

Beautiful shot Nate, gorgeous light, perch and BG - all comes together in a stunning image. Welcome to Texas - big place, where are you going to be hanging out?

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on July 10, 2012 at 9:03 PM

Thanks for your comments everyone!

Randy, we have moved to Missouri City, for those not familiar with it, it's about 1 hour south of Houston and 45 minutes west of Gavelston. I have been doing a lot of shooting since I've been here, so many birds around. I imagine I will also be doing a lot of shooting down around Rockport and Corpus Christi as well as in the Rio Grande Valley.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laredo on July 11, 2012 at 2:01 PM

Killer light and BG. A touch more eye contact would improve but like it as is as well.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 71 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by David Williams on July 11, 2012 at 3:51 PM

Hey, isn't this one of my "friends", Nate?

Love the perch as I usually only get to see them on fence posts. Beautifully done facing into the light like that. Hope the move works out well for you two.

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Leekam on July 12, 2012 at 4:11 PM

Nate, really lovely light and atmosphere. Background matches the subject perfectly. Congratulations on your move having finally taken place. All the best in your new home & I hope to see you in Texas before too long.

Registered on May 28, 2009, 83 Posts, 646 Comments