nictitating membrane

I am positing this image to show you the type of behavior at the time of landing. The adult came back with a gecko. The nictitating membrane (from Latin nictare, to blink) is drawn across the eye for protection during landing.

Good timing.

Ditto on the timing

Wonderful shot Troy.

Great shot Troy.

You nailed it Troy.

Mike

Terrific! Couldn't have timed that any better.

Incredible!!! how long did you you have to wait for this picture!!

Steve

IAbowhntr wrote in post #17516094
Incredible!!! how long did you you have to wait for this picture!!

Steve

Thank you all.

Steve,
To be successful, my friend Mark and I have spent incredible amount of time putting nest boxes out few seasons prior in hope that they will use the nest box. Once they do, we spend time monitoring them, to understand their feeding pattern, interval, how they bring in prey, which perch do they like to land prior to bringing prey back into the nest etc. It takes a lot of time and effort and waiting.
I spent only 4 evenings this season with this pair. It is their second year returning to the same exact nest box. I photographed them after dusk, I spent no more than 2 hours each night. The main reason behind it is to just get my shots and leave them alone for the remaining of the night to hunt to continue to feed the owlets. We spent less time photographing than the prep work, from setting nest boxes to monitoring etc. 90% of the time was the prep work, 10% is photographing and waiting. The interval for every pair is different, it also varies each night. What I found is that hunting slows down during cooler weather in Florida this time of the way. It is because less insects, bugs, etc are now. The best time is after the rain with the tree frogs out.

Every nest we photographed over the years have had all owlets fledged successfully. It was an incredible experience.
If you are interested in the type of nest boxes my friend made, here is a way to contact him. I do not make anything off this, just a way to help him out for his love of birds.
http://troylimphotogra​phy.com …-success-secret-revealed/