Snowy Owl + Pine Grosbeaks

[gburwash]

1.

http://www.pbase.com/gburwash/image/91379761/original.jpg


2.

http://www.pbase.com/gburwash/image/91379755/original.jpg


3.

http://www.pbase.com/gburwash/image/91379131/original.jpg


4.

http://www.pbase.com/gburwash/image/91379132/original.jpg

5.

http://www.pbase.com/gburwash/image/91379140/original.jpg

[gymell]

Nice set of northern birds. I wonder if you could get a closer crop on the owl, seems to be a lot of empty space in those shots. We have some of those here at the airport.

[gburwash]

Those snowy shots are already cropped heavily, more so than I would like.. just wasn't my day with them, wouldn't let me get anywhere close. So I was left with a few only half-decent shots :( Going out again this Sunday for them, so hopefully ill have better luck then

[gymell]

Ah, that makes sense. Sometimes you just have to take what you have and work with that! My only snow owl shot has a big jet taking off on the runway behind it. ;)

[bromm]

Nice shots. the snowies can be difficult to get close to. With the one I found last year , it had a preffered place of rest, almost to the inch each morning he would return. Now I didnt have the chance to get there before him with my white sheet, but what I did was to wait untill mid to late morning to let the Owl get comfortable, or sleepy.They seem to let you get closer once they are settled, first thing in the morning they are still active from the nights hunting.
In the right conditions (windy to cover your sounds) you can sneak up on a snowy. Here is one that I snuck up on on X-mas day (2006). I got within 20-30 feet with my old 100-300 tamron. I actually had to "squeal" to get it to turn my way. This was taken around 10am. The grosbeak shots are nice as well.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/owlxmas2cropped.jpg

[gburwash]

Nice shot ;)


Thanks for the comments