I pulled one of my dumber stunts while photographing this owl.
I have an unusually early appointment this morning (not medical) with several tasks that have to be completed first. As a result I’m overextended and rushed so all you get is a rerun of a photo I’ve published before. The upside is that it’s been eleven years since I posted it so I suspect few current blog followers have seen it.
1/2000, f/8, ISO 400, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed this Barn Owl in February of 2008 as it was hunting in front of a stand of phrags at Farmington Bay WMA. The night before the entire refuge, including the phrags we see here, had been smothered in a thick layer of hoarfrost so the background has an eerie, frosty look to it. The owl was side lit so I didn’t get a catch light in its eye but Barn Owls have such deeply set eyes it’s unusually difficult to get light in their eyes even in ideal lighting conditions. So I’ve learned to cut them some slack in that department.
I have vivid memories of that morning because it was so very cold. I was using a tripod (unusual for me) while standing in the frozen snow and like a dummy I was wearing tennis shoes so by the time I left for home my feet were so cold they were like stumps that I couldn’t feel at all. So as I was leaving the refuge I had to pull over and sit in my pickup with the heater blasting for quite a while to warm my feet up before I drove home.
Driving on the freeway when you have no feeling in your feet – not a good idea.
Ron
It really communicates COLD!!!
Glad you were able to get this shot without sacrificing any toes. Those wings look mighty powerful, especially with the curve of their leading edge (go Bernoulli! 😉) Hope your appointment went well.
Marty, when my feet were still numb I wondered of I’d find a stray toe or two in my shoes after I took them off. Hyperbole, but not by much…
The appointment was just to have my floors measured for new floor coverings. But he came early (8 AM) and I had a lot to do before he got here.
Ooooh. Whatcha gettin? I’ll have to live new floors vicariously through you. I’m not quite ready to replace mine as long as I’m still fostering puppies and the occasional “leaky” adult.
Carpet and some kind of hardwood or hardwood laminate. Gotta do almost my entire main floor. I’m hard on floors and they’re past due.
I hope the leaky adult is another dog…
So are we – but we haven’t bitten that expensive bullet yet. Good luck.
Yes. Definitely dogs. At least so far…😂😂😂
As you know we are working on flooring too! Good luck, in St George there is a shortage of products and installers.
Thanks, April. They’re pretty busy around here too but as far as I know there’s no shortages.
We have Barn Owls nesting only a short distance from our home, but I hear them and so far have only seen them in the dark or twilight. My flight shots in the twilight are blurs. Once got one in the flashlight beam and at least have a poor shot. They only nest in the dead hollow tops of Royal Palms as there is no old growth and no “barns.”
Kenneth, we’re lucky to have them flying in daylight during cold winters but it’s bad news for owls when that happens. They only do it because they’re not getting enough to eat at night with all the snow on the ground.
You can post and re-post as many images of Barn Owls as you like! I have only seen ONE in our county in the last ten years. 🙁
And thawing my feet out before I get on the interstate – two issues I seldom encounter down here!
Wally, sadly I don’t see as many Barn Owls as I used to either.
Believe me, you’re not missing anything good regarding frozen feet.
I hope that your early appointment goes well.
Love the barn owl and its background and could happily see it again and again and again.
I am also glad that you decided to warm your feet before hitting the freeway.
“I hope that your early appointment goes well”
Well it’s behind me now so that’s at least one good thing. Thanks, EC.
I think this photo has a bit of a 3D effect and an ethereal aura. Plus the hoarfrost. Starting to sound like the makings of a horror movie. Not sure how to work tennis shoes into the plot.
Lyle, as far as I’m concerned you can leave tennis shoes out of any plot that includes snow!
Beautiful image , thank you for sharing it again.
Thank you, April.
Ron,
A Classic! And the refuge will be open again soon. Can’t wait!
See you there!
I remember a couple of years ago photographers lined up on the road taking pictures of another owl making the same run. Quite the attraction: tripods and trucks. You posted a “portrait” because the owl was so close.
Stephen
Stephen, this owl and others liked to hunt the phrags at the edge of the big parking lot at the 4-way. There’s nothing there now except dirt/mud..
Great shot – yes, have never seen it. I was laughing at the picture of you out taking photos on a frozen morning in the snow wearing tennis shoes. I could call you stupid for such behavior, but in truth, like most guys, I have done many things just as dumb.
Everett, I wasn’t planning on shooting Barn Owls in flight that morning, thus the tennis shoes. When I saw that they were flying – who gives a damn about feet!
I’m so glad you re-published this photo….I’d not seen it before, and I think
it’s exquisite .. It has an other-worldly quality that makes me think of the
classical illustrations in very old and worthwhile children’s books……
Thanks very much, Kris. I see what you mean.
Beautiful! Some things you’d think we’d know better about being from this neck of the woods still catch up with us now and then……. 😉 Been known to go tearing out in slippers in that kind of stuff and “pay”….. 🙁
Judy, back then I thought I was still pretty cold-hardened from all those winters I spent in MT. I… was… wrong.
I wonder if there is an advantage to a predator in having eyes that do not reflect light. Your camera cannot get a catch light so perhaps a mouse cannot catch a reflexion of light that would reveal the location of the sniper. Admittedly not much help in the dark but obviously owls do hunt in the daylight at times.
I love the way the frosty phrags match the texture and color of the lead actor in this photo.
Porcupine, when it’s very cold with snow on the ground Barn Owls often hunt in daylight at Farmington. It’s a big attraction for photographers in the coldest winter months.