When
I got this shot, in January 2009, I was in a field photographing
Fieldfare; all of a sudden I became aware something was behind me;
it was this Barn Owl, so quiet yet focussed in its hover. Breathless
due to my pounding heart, I slowly turned to get a couple of shots.
In this image, the Owl was into a dive and was about 3 feet from
the ground. Since then, and having learned how to sex Barn Owls,
I realised that the bird in this shot, is a female (a larger bird
- see also her apricot necklace along with a fair bit of speckling
underneath); and I went on to be graced, moments later, at close
quarters, by the male bird (see above image - smaller, a lot more
white in body; especially underneath, with also less speckling)
If I'd have swung round any quicker, I could have done this bird
a terrible injury with my lens, she was so close! lol
|
A
last minute decision, this evening, to meet up with two good friends
of mine, Mark and Luke, visiting from Spain, was rewarded with some
beautiful moments with this male Barn Owl - 19th July 2009 |