Bunny Feet

Gallery: AvianPosted March 9, 2014233 views13 comments

This is my first post to NPN! This image was taken during a Great Grey Owl territorial dispute which is difficult to photograph b/c it all happens so fast and these owls are so stealthy. There were 4 GGO's in this particular area of Ontario. The owl was not baited for this image, but I was told that territorial disputes often arise when there are several GGO's in the same location.

The wings were clipped and the angle was quite high in the original capture, so I cropped a bit tighter for this comp. What is most amazing to me is the small size of these raptors' feet and talons. This is probably why the owls don't injure themselves during their brief but common skirmishes and why they usually only prey on small rodents.

Canon 1D4, Canon 70-200L F4 IS @ 200mm
F7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, manual mode
Handheld

Critiques and comments are always most welcomed and much appreciated.

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Jim Erhardt on March 9, 2014 at 11:03 AM

Marina, welcome to NPN!

Fantastic shot - the tight framing, dead-on focus and superb detail really make it.

Thanks for joining us - we look forward to your participation!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 245 Posts, 2421 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on March 9, 2014 at 12:41 PM

Marina, this is an awesome capture. Welcome to NPN with this simply an amazing first post. As a landscape photographer myself I'm inspired to see such art from many of the wildlife and avian photographs posted here at NPN.

As for the owls stealthy capabilities you've mentioned I had a first hand encounter as a teen with an owl that displayed these inherent features.I had one fly out of a tree behind me just inches above my head and I never heard a sound, I only felt the wind off the flap of it's wings.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on March 9, 2014 at 1:10 PM

Impressive Marina as is all your previous work I have seen.
Welcome to NPN and I am glad to see you here to inspire us all with your new Images . . .

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 9, 2014 at 1:14 PM

Hi Marina, so nice to see you posting your work here! Good decision to crop a little tighter to give this very dramatic close-up view, wonderful detail, especially on those amazing legs. Beautiful photo! I have been observing some ggo's in my area as well, but they seem to be co-existing in relative harmony.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 9, 2014 at 2:03 PM

Welcome to NPN Marina. Like you decision on the tight comp. Nice intimate look.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on March 9, 2014 at 3:52 PM

Welcome Marina: Very nice GGO image. Excellent techs and sharp. Thanks for letting us know it was not baited. At 200mm you were certainly very close. Guessing this was captured when you were up in Ontario with Doug? Just as an FYI, photos taken using live bait are prohibited in the Avian gallery. I know that is different from the site you moderate. Lovely image. Looking forward to more of your work.

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 9, 2014 at 4:03 PM

Welcome to NPN. I'll look forward to more of your images. The tight crop definitely works here. The detail is exceptional. At 200mm he was almost in your lap.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on March 9, 2014 at 4:08 PM

This is a beauty. What a great look at this bird. Welcome, Marina.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on March 9, 2014 at 11:26 PM

Stunning shot.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on March 10, 2014 at 12:07 PM

Welcome, Marina. Gotta love those feet! Look forward to more from you.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on March 10, 2014 at 7:50 PM

First off.....Welcome to NPN. A very nice first post I must say. I love the title. Fits perfectly. The crop you chose looks ideal. How cool to see a dispute between 4 of these magnificent birds. Lucky you to get to witness AND capture some of it. Excellent job.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on March 11, 2014 at 11:12 AM

Welcome, Marina. Nice to see you here. Gotta say, I love the splayed limbs/feathers/wings here. Nailed it.

Max

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

Comment posted by Ashleigh Scully on March 15, 2014 at 11:05 PM

HI Marina!

The fanned tail makes this so different from other GGO photos, I love this! Great capture!

Registered on November 4, 2013, 36 Posts, 210 Comments