Burrowing Owl with Centipede

[David Salem]

This is "Shredder" my regular male Burrowing owl that I have been photographing for a few years now. He is a great hunter, provider and protector for his family(ies). He has raised many babies and I'm hoping to see his new ones hopping out of the burrow any day now.
This was taken about a month ago when everything was green and the wild flowers were in full bloom. My buddy Glenn and I were sitting in front of his burrow early one Saturday morning shooting some nice portrait shots when all of a sudden Shredder ran down his burrow and came out with this big Centipede. He must have killed it and cashed it that night or early that morning and he decided to bring it out to eat in front of Glenn and I. Needless to say we were totally jazzed!! I really like his squinty eyes and the raised foot. Looks kind of sinister. Hope you like it.

1DX---840mm---f7.1---ss1/2000---ISO640---HH from truck @7:!5am---25% crop

Thanks as always for looking and for your input. I appreciate it.

David

[Stu Bowie]

Hi David, great low angle here, and love the expression on the face. Thats a fair size centipede, enough to feed part of his family. I do like the raised foot, and the colourful BG adds to the overall image.

[David Salem]

Thanks Stu, I appreciate your comment. I'm sure it's not a huge one by African standards, but for out here in California, it's a whopper! Thanks and Take care.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi David, I really like the environment, a nice contrast, especially being 'peppered' with the wild flowers, just adds so much more interest to the overall scene. Love the head on shot, cracking pose with the Centipede, a good size too, they do have a voracious appetite, when will they be on the eggs? Agree with Stu, love the low POV (being at eye level just add so much more than looking down, your truck provides a great blind) and the subject being just a fraction off centre works.
All in all, a cool image David.

Stu, I thought you may have had the opportunity to get some Pels fishing owl or Scops in your travels, that would be really nice to see, love the Spotted Eagle owl.

TFS
Steve

[David Salem]

Thanks Steve. Glad you like it.

My owls should have layer their eggs about two months ago. They incubate them for about 28 days and then they raise them in the burrow until they are just about fledging age. This was May 6th last year so I'm ready to see them any minute. I will let you know:)

[Steve Kaluski]

This was May 6th last year so I'm ready to see them any minute.

A lot earlier than mine David, but then this is their first year so it may, or may not be that successful? I assume your 'truck' will have a galley on board, some coffee on the go, a hint of a JD perhaps? Sounds like William & Kate all over again with an imminent arrival.

Will await the announcement.

[christopher galeski]

very nice image,great POV,loverly detail in the owls face and raised foot,very nice BG,well done.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I love the look on its face, and the raised talon is really cool. The prey item, of course, puts thing s over the top. Excellent colours provided by the flowers. A very strong image.

[John Robinson]

Excellent picture David The low growing flowers make it for me. (I should know the yellow one but can't recall- I've had it on my alpine bed)
The food item looks prettymean too- and the facial expression all go to make a very good picture.
John

[Joseph Przybyla]

I'm jealous, lovely image. About as perfect as it gets. Thank you for sharing David.

[Mike Poole]

Great timing, love the eyes and the raised foot.

I tried a tighter vertical crop as well and found for me it became even more dramatic

[Joe Subolefsky]

Awesome all the way around, really love the foot in the air and the squinty eyes.

[David Salem]

Thanks so much everyone for the comments. I appreciate your input.

[David Salem]

Mike, I din't try a vertical because I rarely have some nice color around my subject and was happy to have it in there but I think I will try it. Like you said, it will probably add even more impact to it. Thanks for the good suggestion.

[keith mitchell]

David it's got the lot ,would not change a thing, excellent.

Keith.

[arash_hazeghi]

man this is such an excellent frame with the rare and unique food item, well done

[Richard Flack]

David, this is such a cool frame. I love photographs like this. Interesting, captivating and beauitiful BG, awesome raised foot, cool prey item and brilliant facial expression. For me this is an award winning image. Well done man

[Andreas Liedmann]

hi David stunning behavior shot .

Well processed with lovely detail and great colors .

TFS Andreas

[Jim Crosswell]

What a beautiful setting you captured this guy in! I like the interesting pose, prey, IQ and composition. Top quality as usual David.

[Robert Kimbrell]

A killer frame David. The wild flowers look great, prey even better. The squinty eyes are little a different, but it is working well here. Well done.

[Karl Egressy]

Good story and an excellent image, David. The prey item in the beak adds so much interest.

[David Salem]

Thanks again everyone! !

[Bob Serling]

Great capture of this behavior, Dave! Looks like he's staring you down and telling you to find another meal, this one is his.

[Ritesh Nangare]

Great Image with Great Pray Item ....... Love the light, details and the owl is awesomely perfect.....

TFS.

[Doug Brown]

Beautiful habitat and a really cool prey item! Love the raised foot too.

[Marina Scarr]

Killer frame, David. Love the raised foot, the habitat and the unique prey. I brought this image into PS and did a bit of burning of top of the head and around the eyes to darken the tan just a tad. I think it's worth a try.

[Glenn Conlan]

Shredder has given us many great images and he really pulled this one off for us. What a shock it was to us when he casually looked at us and then went down his burrow and came out with this handsome prey as if he was proud to show us! Hope the kids come out this weekend. Great shot Dave

[David Salem]

Thanks again everyone.

Marina, Ya that was the only thing that I thought about tweaking was the whites over the eyes, I'm sure that's what your talking about. I left it that way because I wanted to keep the whites clean and white. I will try giving it a slight burn as I'm sure it will bring out a bit more detail.
Thanks as always for the help.