Great Blue, Nest, Hatchling and Barred Owl

[jprzybyla]

At Circle B Bar, a nature reserve I photograph at there is area where a Great Blue Heron and a Barred Owl are nesting on opposite sides of a wetland dike. Many photographers were there on Monday. Almost exclusively set up with lenses trained on the owls nest in the dead tree. The antics of the Great Blue Heron were happening behind them. I do not use a tripod so I was able to wander and capture both. C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Got it's horns up...



This one caught me off gaurd... thus the slow shutter speed leaving the nest



Returning to the nest...



I'm hungry...



The Barred Owl...

#1



#2

[Bobobird]

Wonderful captures. The little heron is getting big fast.

Almost the same happened here with a "celebrity" barred owl. Everyone was clicking away at him and less then 20 feet away was a screech owl in a much better position.

[Mallardo]

Those are absolutely beautiful shots!

[jprzybyla]

Wonderful captures. The little heron is getting big fast.

Almost the same happened here with a "celebrity" barred owl. Everyone was clicking away at him and less then 20 feet away was a screech owl in a much better position.

Thanks Bobo, interesting how some photographers overlook the better captures. It is like not seeing the trees because of the forest.

[jprzybyla]

Those are absolutely beautiful shots!

Hello John, thank you for viewing and commenting... very much appreciated.

[Cantab]

Those are absolutely beautiful shots!

I'll echo John. These are absolutely wonderful photos.

[Ken MT]

Great photos, it always pays to look behind you.

[splashy]

Birds look great, but WHAT do we see? The barred Owl bg looks fussy.

[Ken Curtis]

Really nice photos, Joe. Good job.

[jamn4ex]

I like 1 of the Barred Owl best.

[jprzybyla]

I'll echo John. These are absolutely wonderful photos.

Hello Bruce, thank you for viewing and commenting... very much appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

Great photos, it always pays to look behind you.

Hello Ken, thank you for your comment. I think the reason they ignored the Great Blue Heron is first they all had tripods and had to choose which to set up for and also that the Heron is common sometimes a nuisance.

[jprzybyla]

Birds look great, but WHAT do we see? The barred Owl bg looks fussy.

Hello Mike, thank you for the comment. I know the background is terrible, could not control that. I tried a couple things but it didn't seem to improve the image. Nornally separation is a good thing from the subject to the background this time it worked against me.

[jprzybyla]

Really nice photos, Joe. Good job.

Hello Ken, thank you for viewing and commenting... very much appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

I like 1 of the Barred Owl best.

Hello James, the owls are kind of neat. I hope to get more and better before the nesting is over.

[Ken MT]

Have you tried cropping out the blurred areas on all sides, eg concentrate more on the owl, I feel that it gives the photo more zing

[jprzybyla]

Have you tried cropping out the blurred areas on all sides, eg concentrate more on the owl, I feel that it gives the photo more zing

Hello Ken, if not for a smaller crop approaching 1:1 images size I would. I wish the owl had been closer, maybe next time.

[kdoc856]

HI, Joe. I especially love the owl shot at bottom. But I'm having trouble accounting for the distribution of the surrounding blur- intentional in PP? Shot through a window pane? I'm loving the owl but not the blur, especially on the left side.

[kdoc856]

oops, sorry. I see you addressed that below. My woops.

[Ken MT]

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