Northern Hawk Owl

[Bob Malbon]

This is not the best of the 2 card sunset session with this 11 oz. Owl. I like the motion more than all the static images I made. Also I am still kicking myself for missing the two launches right at me with out using bait.
1DMK3 on 500f4 hand held, 1/1600, f7.1, iso400, manual exposure and AIservo. Also this NHO is only 20 miles from home. Thanks to Doug H. for the heads up on location. There have been 3 NHO sightings in Maine this Winter but after an excessive feed event in Bristol Maine no one is posting Owl sightings. - Bob

[john crookes]

Hey Bob,

I like this perch much more than the one in Center Harbor NH
Was there any way to get a little bit higher

Colors are good nice sky

John

[Bob Malbon]

No, on getting higher, I was on top of a plow pile and the Owl was up on the top of the Pine! Here isalink to one other up closer.
http://bob-malbon-photo.smugmug.com/...99_cKJfu-L.jpg

[Rene Quenneville]

I like the eye contact, the wing motion and the blue sky. Beautiful image

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Cool pose and perch. Why didn't you use an extender? I'm assuming this is cropped a bit and the angle would have appeared even lower that way.

[Bob Malbon]

Axel, Should have but was hand holding. My problem with rarities is the I am sure if I look away for 1 second I will miss the image - since I was there to get an un-baited flight image which I can not do with an extender.
As I said above I did miss two flights that came in my direction! Yes, big crop. Here is one from with better light and sitting pretty. Thanks, Bob

[Doug Hitchcox]

Glad you were able to find him. Looks like you got some nice shots. Where were these perches? The entire time I saw him he would only perch on the telephone poles.

[Bob Malbon]

Doug, Thanks again! I was at pole 7 & 8 for 40 min. then was heading to Skelton Dam to look for Eagles and as I drove back to 35 saw it on the white barn on the right - made some long distance images till it camto one of the pines on the non-CPM pole side of the road. Bob