Eastern Screech Owl

Gallery: AvianPosted June 14, 20063,404 views35 comments

This guy is why I had the opportunity to shoot the YB Sapsucker the other day...and Baltimore Orioles...and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo...and nuthatches, chickadees, Yellow-throated Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, robins, House Wren, Brown Thrasher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, and Eastern Towhee.

That's the life of a screech owl I guess...harassed by every smaller bird on the block. I really felt sorry for this little guy after a bit, as all of the species I mentioned gathered around and either verbally or physically harassed this poor fellow.

I was just glad to find him, as every other screech owl I've seen around here has been the gray morph. Canon 20D, 400 5.6L, 1.4x extender, ISO 400, 1/320, f/8.0. About 2/3rds of full-frame, levels, some shadow/highlight.

Comments

35 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on June 14, 2006 at 12:56 AM

Terry, this is excellent! Great to get a clear shot of ANY of these guys, let alone one head-on! The jumble of branches above him distracts me a bit, so you might try adding a bit of Gaussian blur to that area, but leave the in-focus leaves at the left.

Sandy

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

Comment posted by chris hajee on June 14, 2006 at 2:43 AM

what a beauty Terry

Registered on January 18, 2005, 179 Posts, 2384 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on June 14, 2006 at 5:29 AM

Very nice! Nothing to nit

Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Patrick Lor on June 14, 2006 at 6:05 AM

Awesome shot Terry! The red/brown owl really pops off the screen and stands out well from the BG. Must have been a great experience

Registered on January 15, 2006, 91 Posts, 2052 Comments

Comment posted by Garth McElroy on June 14, 2006 at 6:07 AM

Excellent Terry!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 248 Posts, 4406 Comments

Comment posted by Helge Sorensen on June 14, 2006 at 6:25 AM

Absolutely great, Terry - with a 3D feel to it

Registered on November 1, 2003, 186 Posts, 1526 Comments

Comment posted by David Kjaer on June 14, 2006 at 7:11 AM

I love everything about it!

David

Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on June 14, 2006 at 7:40 AM

Very nice Terry!

I bet it was a fun time with all the other species there.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by Barb Hansen on June 14, 2006 at 7:40 AM

Great shot Terry, I wouldn't change a thing!

Registered on May 16, 2005, 380 Posts, 5157 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on June 14, 2006 at 8:01 AM

This is a wonderful presentation of this Owl - well done!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on June 14, 2006 at 9:57 AM

WOW!!! Great Shot Terry!!!

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Jake Dingel on June 14, 2006 at 10:02 AM

Registered on April 24, 2006, 34 Posts, 633 Comments

Comment posted by W. Tracy Parnell on June 14, 2006 at 10:45 AM

Registered on March 4, 2004, 27 Posts, 1638 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Grey on June 14, 2006 at 10:56 AM

Wow, that's great, Terry!

We have a Western Screech around here, gray morph, who is sitting out right by a busy path in one of our parks; everyone including me has been taking pictures, but none even close to this one.

Registered on December 2, 2003, 144 Posts, 2069 Comments

Comment posted by Richard & Gail Buq on June 14, 2006 at 11:01 AM

Very nice capture Terry!

Richard Buquoi
Georgetown, TX

Registered on December 18, 2005, 151 Posts, 811 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Steele on June 14, 2006 at 11:10 AM

Awesome, Terry! One of your best!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 354 Posts, 13896 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on June 14, 2006 at 11:14 AM

Excelllent - I love it as posted.

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

Comment posted by Vic Harris on June 14, 2006 at 11:17 AM

Fantastic!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 2830 Comments

Comment posted by Satie Sharma on June 14, 2006 at 11:22 AM

Excellent shot, Terry!

Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Garber on June 14, 2006 at 11:24 AM

The is really cool!

Registered on November 17, 2003, 704 Posts, 3535 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Linstead on June 14, 2006 at 11:48 AM

Spectaculer, Terry! The clarity of the eyes (and that they're wide open!) and the gorgeous color of this red phase; much more photogenic that the grey one IMO -- what an opportunity!

Scott

Registered on March 25, 2006, 144 Posts, 398 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Losin on June 14, 2006 at 12:26 PM

Hi Terry,

Awesome shot of this little owl. I might crop a bit off the bottom to get rid of those lichen-covered twigs that are just peeking into the frame. Other than that, I don't mind the "clutter" of the background; it's an accurate depiction of this bird's habitat. Way to go!

Registered on September 16, 2005, 145 Posts, 3524 Comments

Comment posted by Jill A. Johnson on June 14, 2006 at 12:41 PM

Super Work Terry!!!

Jill :)

Registered on May 24, 2006, 16 Posts, 680 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Vincent on June 14, 2006 at 12:49 PM

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!

Registered on August 16, 2005, 69 Posts, 792 Comments

Comment posted by Duane Rosenkranz on June 14, 2006 at 1:08 PM

Great shot. Love the intense look.

Duane Rosenkranz

Registered on October 13, 2004, 280 Posts, 2661 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Thompson on June 14, 2006 at 1:52 PM

Wow! That's really nice Terry!

Registered on March 15, 2005, 114 Posts, 2639 Comments

Comment posted by Bryan McCarty on June 14, 2006 at 7:14 PM

That's awesome! Love the eyes.

Registered on March 26, 2006, 64 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Mack Barham on June 14, 2006 at 8:11 PM

Registered on August 12, 2005, 537 Posts, 1107 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on June 14, 2006 at 8:36 PM

Nicest screech-owl photo I've ever seen.

Sure wish you had that one when we were searching for owl photos!

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Lee Daniels on June 14, 2006 at 8:52 PM

Just terrific, Terry! Really wonderful to see the red morph for a change. He does look exasperated...

Registered on December 31, 2003, 115 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on June 14, 2006 at 9:31 PM

Wow, spectacular shot of this little beauty

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Krijn Trimbos on June 15, 2006 at 10:53 AM

Hi Terry,
This shot is absolutely amazing! I love almost everything about this one! My only very tiny nit is that I would have preferred a little more of centre composition. But besides that this is a good as it gets IMO

Registered on October 18, 2005, 260 Posts, 2979 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Kijewski on June 15, 2006 at 10:45 PM

Oh my...this is awesome!!! I am dying to get a shot of one these! Excellent and congrats, Terry

Registered on February 17, 2004, 166 Posts, 3390 Comments

Comment posted by John Varley on June 16, 2006 at 6:48 PM

I think this is fantastic Terry - wouldn't change a thing. He does look a bit fed up

John

Registered on November 1, 2003, 4 Posts, 51 Comments

Comment posted by Gregory Lazzaro on October 2, 2006 at 1:33 PM

Trully and excellent shot, comes right out at you when viewing. Nice work.

Greg

Registered on September 2, 2006, 39 Posts, 143 Comments