Northern Hawk Owl (Again)

A sharper frame from Saturday in Eden, VT - 1DMk3 on a 500mm f4 on Wimberley, iso 400, 1/640, f8, manual exposure. Bird not baited - Bob

http://bob-malbon-photo.smugmug.com/...69_UJbJQ-O.jpg

Wow, here's lookin' at you. That bird is talking to you. Excellent!!!

This is great Bob. I would be tempted to drive 4 hours one way for this bird versus 2 hours for the NY bird if I knew this one would be reliably on this nice perch versus the hardwood limbs I had. Or poles and wires. For both birds, the birder-photographer tension at the locales is now worse with the dead Ontario baited bird, the anti-baiting posts on all the birding forums, etc. Even with no intention of baiting, just showing up with a 500mm lens is enough to set someone off.

Jeff, When I got back to Maine on Sunday night there were 149 ME List posts about the NHO baiting in Bristol Maine. Some on the edge of violent - most against, some for - no neutral. So now the Eden, VT bird has been baited and the talk today on the VT list is much calmer. After reading the ME posts I felt like deleting ALL my NHO images. Of course I did not but do not like having to say "not baited".
The NHO in Eden seems to always use the same few perches - it came back to this one several times - only 50 ft off the road. Rt. 118 is wide, straight and quite but like all VT back roads when a truck/car comes by it is 20 over the posted!
I printed this image 8 x 12" and it dose look sweet!
Thanks for the comment,
Bob

I like the eye contact, details and composition. I'd love to photograph this species.

Axel, Jump in your car and drive North, as of today they are in VT, NH, ME and NY. Big year!
Thanks, Bob