I went to check out a few area Great Horned Owl nests this past Sunday, something I haven’t been able to do for far too long. Unfortunately, the young ones at two of the three must have already fledged as there were no signs of them or their parents.
However, at one, the owlet remains in the nest and the parents were more than willing to give me my fill of photo opportunities. Both Dad and Mom posed for portraits and both put on nice little aerial shows as they alternated between the nest tree and their favorite nearby stand of trees.
This image is of the female as she flew by on her way to check on her offspring. These silent fliers are very difficult to catch images of in the air as they are deceivingly fast and their low-to-the-ground, erratic flight pattern makes focusing hit or miss. Needless to say, when you do get the shot, it is a coup for the shutterbug.
