I cannot believe I have posted so much on BPN! I must say I have learned heaps and will keep on learning from the best out there in the world, so thanks for making this site possible folks! You know who you are. ;)
Captured on Good Friday this year, it's the first series of images I was ever able to create of this (smallest in Aus) owl as that was also the first time I ever saw one. What makes it even more special, is that my friend, who is one of the best birders I have known, took me to the hollow, then blindly walked past the owl sitting in it.
We spent a good hour before nightfall observing it getting ready for the shift. This image captured about 30 seconds before it flew as it was already standing on the hollow's lip. I was honored to meet this bird.
I apologize for the sloppy red eye correction in the right eye (left on image). :o Like a kid in a candy shop!
30D, 300mm f/4L IS USM, 1.4x, ISO800, f/8, 1/125th, manual mode, 430EX at zero with beamer, remote release, tripod and log on which I stood to get a little higher vantage point, as the hollow was about 8 feet off the ground.
Congratulations on the 2000 posts Amigo!
Nice species. Ithink you went a little too far with the NR, also a tad more contrast and USM might help this one. But again, congratulations!
HI
No sound needed for this owl. They roost all day (unless disturbed or annoyed) in the same spot. Finding them is the hard bit and luck plays a major part.
At night, if certain owls are present, people have used recordings, though I haven't (yet). At the moment, this species and its massive cousin, the Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua), are breeding, on eggs actually, so any sound playback would be irresponsible as it would grossly disturb the nesting pair.
Denise, these owsl range from 250-350mm (10"-14"). Are very small for an owl. But so adorable and intelligent. A scientist friend told me of one of these living near a sportsfield in a Sydney suburb and at night the Boobook learned that if it flies past the automatic motion detectors, the lights come on, thus insects are attracted and.....you know what's next.
Read more about these owls here and here. I can impersonate this and the Powerful Owls' calls extremely well. Also, they are now known as Ninox boobook and not a subsp of N. novaesealandiae.
Hey Akos, hearty congrats on your milestone mate. Your lively attitude and dedication to this site is there for all to see. Great sighting here, super pose, and I would clone out the twig running alongside him. Keep them coming.
Stu, that stick is actually a crack in the trunk at the rear of the hollow. I was in two minds about patching it up. May have a crack (pun intended) at it. :D
Congratulations on the milestone, thanks for your contributions! I like the repost, the eye looks a bit oversharpened and the perch a bit blurred for my taste.
Dave, You are a wizard man, that looks very cool. Thanks for taking the time tinkering. You too have a great w/e. I'll be a bit scarce here as I am flat out and just may pop-in a couple of times over the two days. Go OOTB! :D
Congrats Akos. Always enjoy reading your comments. And congrats on a nice owl pic. Interesting to read about them turning on the lights with the motion detector. I like Dave's repost on the face/eye.
2,000th post! Southern Boobook Owl
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