Twin Great Horned Owl Chicks

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

BubblingSpringsTwins.jpg
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. . . of was it Triplets?

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. . . actually there were Four Owlets in this Clutch

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Never Ending Clean Up Detail

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

This is a continuation of a series of owls/owlets I am posting from a couple years back. Sorry for posting so many photos in the last few weeks since I’ve been back, but they’ve built up a bit over the years since I was away. This mother owl was amazing to successfully raise four chicks in one clutch. The lone chick in the second shot here was first to leave the nest. The story was that some bonehead with a drone decided to get a closeup of the group of chicks and this one decided it was too close and fell out of the nest. It managed to climb back up palm trees that were near the home nest, and mother owl continued to take care of it for a couple of weeks after. Eventually they all left home base and seemed to be thriving in the nearby palm trees until they all left the area a few weeks later. The last shot is one of mother cleaning up the left overs out of the nest. The local crows apparently took exception to being eaten and I got one session a couple days later of the ensuing turf war. I have one more series of these babies I’d like to post in the near future.

Specific Feedback

Any suggestions for improvement and comments are appreciated. I’m planning a weeklong birding trip to Southern Oregon/Northern California this week, so won’t be posting for a week or so anyway.

Technical Details

  1. Canon 7D MII, f8, 1/800 sec, iso 800, 560 mm (100-400 wi 1.4 TC)
  2. f11, 1/800, iso 800, 560 mm, early morning direct sunlight
  3. f7.1, 1/1000 sec, iso 1600, -0.3 exp bias, 379 mm
  4. f7.1, 1/800, iso 1000, 420 mm
2

Wow, Ed. These are awesome. What an experience getting to watch them hatch and grow. Great series.

3

A very cool series, Ed. It’s always a treat when you’re in position to follow something like this. I’m always temped to rent a man lift when I encounter something like this, but getting it positioned could be tricky. The old bird photographers that had to get within a few feet of the nest used to build scaffolds with a blind on top or climb nearby trees and build a blind up in the branches-not very comfortable.

All the images are well exposed and nice and crisp and they show a nice range of poses.

4

Wonderful opportunity, well used! The shots are remarkable to me for the chicks being so out in the open and awake in daytime. All are wonderful but I especially like the third one – lighting, pose, expression and perch/BG.

5

Terrific series Ed. You took very good advantage of this opportunity. Nice sharpness throughout and I love the poses. I think the first is my favorite.

6

Ed: what a terrific series and thanks for posting them and the good narrative.

7

Ed, I don’t know how I missed this as I love owls, but never have had the opportunity to photograph them in the wild as of yet. Contrats on the Editor’s Pick, well deserved.

8

I love the narrative from your series. What wonderful subjects! It is impressive that you have quality time with them to experience their behaviors. They are technically well done, crisp, and a nice behavioral series. Have fun on your trip. I can’t wait to see what you get AND for your next Owl family update.

9

Thank you @David_Bostock, @Dennis_Plank, @Diane_Miller, @Allen_Sparks @Richard_Sandor, @Shirley_Freeman, and @kaseycmueller for your kind words on this post, and thank you for the EP.

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