I should note that these images were taken practically in the dark,
around 6:20am, before sunrise. (For those interested in the technical
details: ss: 1/100, fstop: 6.3, fl: 600mm, ISO between 12500 and 25600
depending on the image. Hand held, but leaning on something for
stability. Post processing included lightening and cropping in
Photoshop, as well as a 1 or 2 passes through DeNoize AI to reduce grain
a bit.)
Fun bird photography
Pete
On 11/10/24 8:07 AM, Pete Sole wrote:
> Hi birders,
> http://www.lighthousenet.com/photos/birds/documentary/owl_great_horned_241110b.jpg >
> Woke up a little early today and heard our usual Great-horned Owl
> pair. What made it interesting, was to actually see both of them
> together. Managed a few, ahem, let's be charitable and call them, dark
> noisy blurry images shot through double pane glass... Here are 2 of
> the "better" photos:
>
> http://www.lighthousenet.com/photos/birds/documentary/owls_great_horned_2_241110a.jpg >
>
> http://www.lighthousenet.com/photos/birds/documentary/owl_great_horned_241110.jpg >
>
> As described by Cornell's Birds of the World:
>
> "The Great Horned Owl – large, powerful, and long-lived – is adapted
> by its anatomy, physiology, and behavior to survive in any climate but
> arctic-alpine regions. Equally at home in desert, grassland, suburban,
> and forest habitats, north to the tree line, it has a diverse prey
> base and the most extensive range with the most variation in nesting
> sites of any American owl."
>
> Source: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/grhowl/cur/introduction >
> I've read that Great-horned Owls are one of the most fearsome avian
> predators around. Like many owl species, they have phenomenal sight
> and hearing, at the expense or benefit of poor smell. These
> Great-horned are so fearsome, that they will easily take prey their
> own size, including skunks. From Cornell's species description:
>
> "Takes an exceptionally wide variety of prey, ranging in size from
> scorpions and small rodents to larger hares and rabbits; also large
> birds such as ducks, geese, and herons."
>
> Source: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/grhowl/cur/foodhabits >
> Although common, it is my firm belief, that any day you see an owl, is
> a great day.
>
> Fun birding,
>
> Pete Solé
>
> Owling in Soquel, CA
>
