A brief visit with a Barred owl
A friend and I spied this owl while on a short drive to scout out locations for a photo shoot. This is my tenth year living in the Bragg Creek area and this was the first Barred owl that I have seen here. It was the first time I have seen one in the wild anywhere for that matter. It is an understatement to say I was excited! The dark eyes are so striking compared to my familiarity with the glowing yellow eyes of the Great gray, Great horned and Snowy owls which I photograph throughout the year.
The owl was perched in plain sight – the fast approaching dusk had dimmed the daylight which suited this mostly nocturnal hunter. That made a fast shutter speed a challenge but that was a very minor challenge. She flew from the post to a branch a couple of metres above the long grass edging the road. Her head swivelled and angled as she searched for dinner. Within a couple of minutes, she locked in and made a dive headlong into the greenery. One dive, one strike and one kill.
From down in the grass she shifted the field mouse to her beak and then flew up and in front of us, heading into a stand of trees on a small ridge.
I lost her in the forest and the gloom but look forward to a follow-up encounter whenever it suits her.
Christopher Martin Photography 
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Wow. Great pics!!!
June 7, 2016 at 9:56 pm
Gorgeous!!
June 7, 2016 at 9:22 pm
Dear Chris, I apologize for not contacting you months ago. I have done nothing with these paintings, not posting them anywhere. They are based off your photographs posted in WordPress. What do you think of them? May I post them on my sites, and if I were to post do so, what kind of acknowledgement would you like? Put your credit in a watermark? https://www.flickr.com/photos/erikkaye1 http://www.ekayeart.com/ on facebook, Erik Kaye, Artist
I admire your photographs very much and what you must put into them to get the intimate shots that you do. I like to interpret pictures of wildlife, and photograph them when my camera is up which it isn’t now. Yours, Erik T. Kaye
On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 10:15 PM, Christopher Martin Photography wrote:
> Christopher Martin posted: ” A friend and I spied this owl while on a > short drive to scout out locations for a photo shoot. This is my tenth > year living in the Bragg Creek area and this was the first Barred owl that > I have seen here. It was the first time I have seen one in the w” >
June 7, 2016 at 8:12 pm
Barred owls are my favorites; I have had a pair local in three different places I have lived and love their calls to the partners. Magnificent captures of an elegant creature, bar none (couldn’t help myself, hah!)
June 7, 2016 at 6:11 pm
What a magnificent creature!
June 7, 2016 at 4:41 pm
beautifuly captures, they are beautiful creatures. Sacred to the Goddess of Wisdom, Minerva, they do look so all-knowing. Sally
June 7, 2016 at 4:08 pm
Stunning!
June 7, 2016 at 10:08 am
Love…..BEAUTIFUL
June 7, 2016 at 9:11 am
I loved those pictures, especially in flight. Thanks for sharing.
June 7, 2016 at 9:08 am
Striking photos.
June 7, 2016 at 9:00 am
Beautiful Captures, Colour and textures 🙂 Superb!
June 7, 2016 at 8:06 am
Great Album!
June 7, 2016 at 7:53 am
wow how beautiful is he!!! wonderfull photos!
June 7, 2016 at 7:44 am
I had a beautiful experience like this. I live in a countryside, and around two months and this special animal started to visit my home. Its eyes were electrifying, and its plumage was so sweet. I love these pictures…I hope that you follow taking this kind of moments…Enjoy
June 7, 2016 at 7:24 am