I managed to see yet another Barred Owl (Strix varia) yesterday. Unlike my other recent encounters, I spotted this owl while it was perched high in a tree—the other times I was able to catch sight of the owl only when I flew in front of me. I got some shots of it while it was stationary and will probably post a couple of them, but surprisingly I was able to get a few shots of it when it started flying. The previous times, the owl flew away so swiftly and silently that I wasn’t able to snap a single photo.
This is my favorite image of the ones I took. The owl’s body is in the shadows, but some of the beautiful details of its feathers are visible in a wonderful semi-circle of extended wings.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Those feathers are wonderful.
Thanks, Lyle. The unusual angle and the feather details were enough to make me want to post this image, even if it is not the sharpest one I have ever taken. These owls hang out in the woods and it’s tough to focus on them amid the tangle of branches, especially when they start to move.
Beautiful!!
I’ve yet to see an owl in the wild in America. I used to say them frequently back home in Scotland but I’ve lived in PA for 15 months now and not seen a single wild owl. I’m disappointed. I’ve only even heard them a few times. I’m going to be very excited when I finally spot one.
Nice capture in flight Mike.
Beautiful pattern and colouring in those feathers, Mike. I know what you mean about silent launches that take you totally by surprise, though! Chris
How beautiful those wings are! Well caught 🙂
Thanks, Wendy. It was a pretty lucky shot. I was caught by surprise when the owl took off and didn’t really expect to get any decent shots.
Truly lovely shot, Mike. It’s so difficult to capture the outstretched wings of an owl because it is usually dark or they move so silently that you don’t see them. I liked the perched shots (tomorrow’s post) very much too. 🙂
Thanks. Owls are amazing and I am really lucky to have spotted them multiple times. I certainly don’t take that for granted and really don’t expect to find them in daylight 9but I’ll keep looking).
Amazing shot. Well captured.