Fresh & organic

[Steve Kaluski]

One of the owlets 'worming' in the nettle patch, based on the colour and bits of debris, it's just been plucked. Would have liked a slightly lower POV, but then there would have been more vegetation, just have this pet hate about looking down on subjects, however unavoidable at times. In an ideal world a less disruptive BKG would be better, but this is their habitat and where they used to forage. The brighter stalks are stinging nettle stems.

There are one or two highlights I need to address, likewise a few stems have been pruned.

Thanks to those who posted a reply or looked at the previous image.

Steve
Subject: Little owlet with worm in beak (Athene noctua)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 500f/4 Gitzo tripod/Wimberely head
Exposure: 1/800s at f/6.3 ISO1250 +1 stop compensation

[Don Railton]

Great shot Steve, love those eyes..! I think POV is good, and the BG is not too disruptive IMHO. That lone nettle stalk to the left is competing with the bird but not very successfully IMHO. I love the worm and the quizzical look. Well done. Merry Christmas..!

DON

[keith mitchell]

Steve a real natural shot with bits of earth on the worm and debris around the beak showing just the way they feed, the owl itself looks very good with it's lovely soft feathers and its eyes are just the right colour for a Baby Little Owl,the BG is fine for me.Just great!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keith.

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Don & Keith, yep gobbled up in seconds, the tip of the worm disappearing sadly Keith was posted a while back, but you may get to see it again.

Merry Xmas guys and all the very best for 2014, I think we can all look forward to some nice trips next year.

[Jamie Douglas]

This may qualify for one of the better earth worm images besides being a great little owl image. Never seen so much detail in an wurim since the days of putting them under a magnifying glass and well, that was a long time ago and I have become more conscious of natural life since LOL.

Foreground took a little time to grow on me as I almost want to see a little more texture in the nettles. I'll need to get my hands on your 1Dx in the new year to try it out.

Nearly time to pack those skis and wellies (wow I just saved myself an embarrassing typo - you should see what the default spell check made of wellies)

Jamie

[Marina Scarr]

What a cutie pie. Love the way it's looking at you with the worm in its beak. I understand you have virtual feet going on, but I would crop this one from the right and a little off of the bottom.

[Holger Leyrer]

Superb shot with very nice details. Love the owl in their habitat. For me is the crop ok

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Hi Steve, that's a super cute bird and he's proudly showing you his coveted catch.
Wonder if you could have moved more to the right. If you do have more room on the right, I'd crop from the left - both, to eliminate those oof twigs on the LHS and to balance the comp a bit more.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - I like this one a lot. Your usual excellent details and great color, including in the worm.

TFS,
Rachel

[arash_hazeghi]

I like the pose, details and the food item!

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers folks, yep these guys are really entertaining, so for their rewards a nice big hand-made Little owl box will be installed in the old Willow tree, specific for these birds. Hopefully one of them will nest next year, but who knows, it's taken two years to find these guys, again so fingers crossed.

Sidharth I understand your thoughts, more space to look into? Unfortunately as you can appreciate you have seconds to try and nail the shot, he/she was looking direct to camera prior, but his brother/sister caught the attention so you have to go with the flow, cheers.