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Northern Hawk Owl and chicks
I was very pleased to find and photograph this owl in Churchill - it is one I have always missed in Scandinavia. I watched the bird hunting, and was able to get an idea where the nest might be when I saw it carrying a lemming into the wood. An hour of cold searching finally revealed this perfect site, approx 6 feet from ground level. Both birds were in the area but never made any alarm or aggression calls. I merged a net hide into a nearby pine and, while I was actually doing it, one bird flew to the nest and fed the chicks (3). Lighting was difficult with the sun filtering through the trees, 6.30 - 8pm giving best angle and quality. They seemed to start feeding the chicks from 6am - 9am then re-commenced from 6pm. I spent about nine hours in total in the hide, during the periods of good light, in order to get this 'eye contact' shot - taken on my last evening in Churchill! Most squeaks and rustling noises were totally ignored, and feeding session were usually a frenzy of activity. On the last day I noticed a bear had left a very large and obvious 'calling card' within 30 feet of where the hide was situated. Unfortunately, or probably fortunately, I never actually saw the bear!!
Camera Canon 1D Mk111 500mm f4 IS Exp 1/125 @ f11 ISO 800
Camera on tripod in hide.