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Pygmy In The Branches
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Pygmy In The Branches

by Jenaya Launstein

Gallery: AvianPosted March 22, 2017476 views4 comments
Here's another from our trip to the coast last year. I believe this is the male (so hard to tell them apart) Northern Pygmy Owl from my previous post. This fella was perched in the branches looking for prey. He would be looking around and then all the sudden something would catch his attention below. He would quickly swivel his head in the direction of the sound and stay like that for a few moments, giving us the opportunity to capture his intense stare.

Thank you for looking! crying

P.S. Please view the larger version for best detail.

Nikon D600
Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4 IF-ED
ISO 640
f/4 @ 1/1250sec
Tripod mounted

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by David Schoen on March 22, 2017 at 5:24 PM
Yes, this absolutely needs to be seen large to be appreciated.  The eyes on the pygmy owl are quite nice.  Even though there's a lot of branch activity in this image, the light is quite soft and the colors on the branches and background work well together.  The out of focus light background colors mirror the lighter colored feathers on the owl bringing out its texture.  Although I wish you had been closer, I still like the image.  Please remember to post your technical details
Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Austin on March 23, 2017 at 8:56 AM
Cuteness off teh charts. I like teh habitat shot you chose. Well done.
Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 24, 2017 at 4:53 PM
Beautiful, Jenaya.  I like your decision to keep the framing loose in this, thus reflecting the diminutive size fo the bird.  Very well done.
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 25, 2017 at 1:56 PM
Nicely composed out of a situation which didn't make it easy to find an effective composition. I do wish you had a touch more eye contact (any frames with him looking up?), but at the same time I always find birds looking down makes me wonder what they gazing at, so it is still effective. Nicely done Jenaya!
Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments