Long Eared Owl with prey

[Mike Poole]

Bit of an absence for me with lockdown etc, but hopefully I'll be back out more now. I went back to an area that in previous years has had nesting long eared owls, and a local friend confirmed there are 2 pairs.

They live on one side of a valley, then drop into the valley to hunt with a great light angle providing they're out early enough you can drop lucky and get them in gorgeous evening light heading right towards you.

As is normally the case, he came out just as the sun was dropping over the hill and I'd left the perfect position about 10 minutes earlier to try and get him in sunlight, so a 'quick sprint' (take from that what you will....) and I was back in the lower field as he circled me against the sun with the unfortunate vole.

Still getting used to the Nikon, so changing settings on the fly, so not ideal, but,

Nikon D500
600mm f4 + 1.4x
ISO 2000
1/1250th f5.6

Mike

Edit - just seen the theme needed the item to be in the mouth, mods please can you delete the prefix, thanks

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Mike, seems like you have a great thing going there to photograph these guys, and you nailed this with food and all. Great flight pose with the raised near wing, and love the light through it too. The Owl pops against the darker BG, and I'm seeing a touch of noise on this near wing.

I followed your request and have removed this as a theme image. No doubt this guy will be back with food in his beak, and you can repost for the theme.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hey Mike I'm jealous! Super shot, the pose and the vole are super, the eye is magic and the background is pleasing too - a pleasure to view well done.

[Arthur Morris]

Way to go Mike. This is one of the best backlit images I have ever seen. Love that ye, the backlit prey, and the underwing detail.

with love, artie

[Volkan Akgul]

Hi, very very good! congratulations

[Daniel Cadieux]

Great mood you got here, and the rim-lighting around the prey is excellent. The BG could use a bit more NR IMO, but all else looks pretty darn good!!

[arash_hazeghi]

sweet image Mike, agree one of the back-lits that works well. BG needs more NR, great otherwise

TFS