Bubo Africanus (Spotted Eagle Owl)

Written by Webmaster Friday, 12 March 2004 00:00

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"A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; the less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?" Edward Hersey Richards 

 

 

 

Mother and children (Spotted Eagle Owl)

When I found out that a spotted eagle owl had two chicks, I knew I had to take a photo of them. However, due to various matters, I was not able to visit the zoo for a month so I was surprised to see them half grown. The eyes of the predator are in contrast with the fluffy plumage and the way the chick in the middle has positioned its feet. Although they are still too young they have a great curiosity about their surrounding.  
 
Photos by George J. Reclos

Shooting Data:
 
Camera: Nikon D2X
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/60 sec, f/8 Aperture priority mode
Flash: SB-800 in i-TTL mode
Image: JPEG edited in Photoshop CS2, levels adjusted, smart sharpening added and resized.
 

 

 

 

Bubo africanus (Spotted Eagle Owl)

Birds of pray are always impressive and create different feelings to me. I would personally like to see them free in the wild and not behind bars. This is true for most wildlife but those birds in particular are the true kings of the air. Whenever I take a shot of them I try to capture the confidence and pride of them, the way they look at you as if you don't matter to them, like telling you that they still rule. The huge orange eyes of this owl make a dramatic contrast to its "earth" colors and the neutral background.

Photo by George J. Reclos

Shooting Data:

Camera: Nikon D2X
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/90 (top) 1/100 (bottom) - f/6.3, Aperture priority mode
Flash: SB-800 in i-TTL mode
Images: JPEG edited in Photoshop CS, levels adjusted, USM added and resized.

 

These photographs have been taken at the Attica Zoological Park. They are the property of MCH Portal and cannot be reproduced without the written permission of the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

 

 

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