Little owl

[Karl Günter Wünsch]

http://www.lithos-mineralien.de/naturescapes/little_owl_20060717_0077a_ns.jpg

Canon 20D, 100-400L+1.4x Extender II @560mm, 0.8 sec, f/11, ISO 400, tripod, mirror lockup, cable release, 30% crop of the frame.
Shot near my home in Korschenbroich, NRW, Germany on some hedges along one of the orchards where these magnificient birds are being helped by the local wildlife conservation trust by providing them with nest boxes as old trees with natural hollow areas are becoming scarce...

[Judy Becker]

The BG is distracting to me. You might try cloning out some of the green.

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

Nice details,agree for the BG!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the narrow crop and details. The leaf in the BG doesn't bother me. Thanks for sharing the story.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Stunning eye contact in this image and wonderful detail. Normally I do not lke such a tight crop but it works for me in the image. thanks for sharing !1

[Ed Cordes]

Great detail - So, the 1-400 with TCs doesn't work?. This looks sharp to me. I like the eye contact. To me this overcomes the leaf in the BG. Besides, the leaf looks natural.

[Linda Robbins]

I like the close crop and the direct look. Good depth of field and the background is not distracting to me. Enjoyed the story...it's nice when people give the birds a hand.