Northern Hawk Owl (Again)

[Bob Malbon]

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

[David Thomasson]

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

[Jeff Nadler]

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.

[Bob Malbon]

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

[Axel Hildebrandt]

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

[Bob Malbon]

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