When I arrived at the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside, NY I saw a bunch of my friends pointing there cameras into the trees where a great horned owl was in past years. I guessed it was back yet I was not carrying a TC for the distant subject. Not only that it was mid afternoon and the light was meh. I also knew the owl would not be separated from the trees and was not excited about photos like this. I walked out to check the many ponds and streams in the preserve and had an enjoyable shoot. Later I walked back to my car and picked up both my 1.4x and 2x TCs and headed out on the elevated walkway over the marsh to the closest spot I could go which left me about 50 yards from the trees. I spotted the owl quickly and set up my tripod and the camera with the 2x. It was mostly cloudy so the later afternoon was dim yet pleasing. With the 2x TC on my zoom I had to crank the ISO and was taking environmental portraits. This was the first time I was using the 2x with my 150-600mm and was pleased with the sharpness I was seeing in the viewfinder figured I'd try cropping some of them. All but one of the images I'm showing are crops.
I had the usual owl shooting experience waiting and waiting for the owl to wake up and when it did it yawned. It started looking around and appeared to be ready to hunt and these are the images I'm sharing. I was ready for it to fly yet it went back to sleep.
Comments and suggestions welcome,
Morris
1) Waking up
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/480s6400 ISO0.0 EV
2) As shot
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/550s6400 ISO-0.3 EV
3) Crop of 2
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/550s6400 ISO-0.3 EV
4) It's watching something
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/550s6400 ISO-0.3 EV
5) It spotted something
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/550s6400 ISO-0.3 EV
6) and tracked it for a bit
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/550s6400 ISO-0.3 EV
7) Then it spotted something else
X-H2SXF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR + 2x lens1200mmf/16.01/550s6400 ISO-0.3 EV
Very nice captures, Morris. Darn birds seem to refuse to fly when you want them to. They wait until you get distracted, or get ready to leave and then off they go!
johnohio wrote:
You know I love Owls !! Always excited to see any type of owl. Glad this worked out for you, some great shots here !
John
Thank you John,
I'm wondering where her nest will be.
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gmccroskery wrote:
Very nice captures, Morris. Darn birds seem to refuse to fly when you want them to. They wait until you get distracted, or get ready to leave and then off they go!
Greg
Thank you Greg,
Well this one went back to sleep and that was a surprise. Then the preserve closed...
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Karl Witt wrote:
Nicely handled at that distance and with the zoom and 2X. Really pretty coloring and a nice setting against the greens. The first and last for me
Karl
Thank you Karl,
Possibly it will still be around for fall colors
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Caleb_Christensen wrote:
Last one is great!
Thank you Caleb
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juankgigo wrote:
That's one of my favorite North American owl species and you got it perfectly, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Juan,
It's my pleasure to share. I think you were traveling when I was following a GHO nest in the spring and missed the photos of the chicks.
