Right Place, Right Time

The short-eared owls which hang around in the winter months have a habit of coming out right at or after dusk - but as their time here comes to an end and they prepare to migrate north they start to hunt a bit earlier.  While the area the suitable hunting habitat is well over 700 acres, the birds have, year after year, concentrated in a 100 acre area which happens to be bisected by a road allowing for good photography opportunity.  When I arrived I saw a few other photographers walking directly toward the perched bird - knowing that the bird would eventually flush (due to their encroachment or otherwise) I was confident the bird wouldn't fly TOWARD them - so rather I positioned myself in the other direction, sitting down next to a small tree to be as invisible as possible.  And what do ya know, the bird did what I predicted : )

Nikon D7200 18-400mm VR @ 350mm cropped sensor engaged
f/8
1/3200s
ISO 1000 (should have been around 640)

Cropped to horizontal, probably 40% of original frame

- Luke