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Featured in Amazing Wildlife May 22, 2012.
Featured in Art Universe March 31, 2011.
Featured in Beautiful Grunge Art March 15, 2011.
Featured in Maryland August 3, 2010.
Featured in Nikon D40 (x) Users December 16, 2009.
Featured in Only Owls December 9, 2009.
Featured in ! 100% ! October 9, 2009.
This image is also available at Lois Bryan at fine art america in an exciting variety of framing and matting options.
I was lucky enough to find this beautiful Barn Owl at the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center near Olney, Maryland. Wounded and sick birds and creatures are mended and kept healthy here by the people at the Center. Once he’s healed, he’ll be set free.
Image taken with the Nikon D40x and the 18-200mm vr Nikon lens at 1/13 shutter and f/5.6 aperture. Exposure 0.00, iso 400, 200mm focal length.
Textures added in Photoshop. A bit of hand-“painting” in Corel Painter 11 and Photoshop to highlight and emphasize certain details.
Range and Habitat
Barn Owl: Occurs on every continent except Antarctica. Found in a vast range of habitats, from rural to urban, but prefers warm climates with mild winters. Nearby open grassland is essential; rarely found in deep forests or mountains.
INTERESTING FACTS
Barn Owls are encouraged to nest in certain agricultural areas because of their ability to control rodents better than traps or poisons and at no cost. Research indicates that they eat twice as much prey for their weight as other owls.
Their uncanny sense of hearing is aided by their asymmetrically placed ears. They are able to use this sense to capture prey hidden by snow or vegetation. Their ears have feathered flaps that can close to provide protection if they encounter sound that is too intense.
They typically approach their prey from a low flight path. Grasping the prey with their feet, they use their beak to bite through the back of the skull. Prey is swallowed whole. They are also known to cache food when nesting.
A group of owls has many collective nouns, including a “bazaar”, “glaring”, “parliament”, “stooping”, and “wisdom” of owls.
the above info thanks to What Bird.com
Texture courtesy of Princess of Shadows on Deviant Art
All images are copyright © Lois Bryan. All materials contained may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted, borrowed, swiped, snitched or downloaded in any way, shape or form. All rights reserved. Copying, altering, displaying or redistribution without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited. NO MEANS NO.
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Comments
what a wonderful one…….. oh how I love owls.. gorgeous, lois!
Hello, hello dear Isa!!!! thank you!!!!! They are magnificent creatures, aren’t they???
– Lois Bryan
Beautiful Capture:))))))))))xoxoxo
Hiiii Trena!!!! Thank you, darlin’!!!
– Lois Bryan
Gorgeous image Lois, the colour and textures are great!
thanks, Kathy … the textures really rescued this one. I love it … loved his face, but without what the textures added (and hid!) I’d never have posted it.
– Lois Bryan
This is gorgeous, I would love to one day get to see one in the wild! The textures really add another dimension. Love it!
Hi Cheryl!!! Thank you!!! We used to see them here in the wild frequently before the houses on either side of us were built. They’re still around though … often at night when I take the dogs out the owls and I have “conversations”!!! Whooooooo whooo whooo whoooo whooooo
– Lois Bryan
Stunning capture and texture effect, Lois!!
Hi Ann … thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely note!!! i appreciate it!!!
– Lois Bryan
one of my favorite raptors, rescued hundreds of these as they are amazing rodent catchers and too many put out rodent poisons and it just goes up the food chain…GORGEOUS close-up Lois ;) xoxox ♥
thank you, thank you sooo much!!!! And thank you too for helping these darling creatures. We’re sort of out in the country here and as such, we see our share of rodents, etc. No poisons here … when necessary, we get the job done the old fashioned way!!!! I hate to think of these magnificent guys being harmed in any way!!!!
– Lois Bryan
Wonderful photo Lois!
thank you so much, Andrei!!!
– Lois Bryan
Talk about an abstract from nature…here’s a prime example!
Yuri, thank you so much!!! The textures really saved this one from the toss-pile. But you know how it is, you believe in the “bones” of a shot and you’ll do whatever it takes to get it to where you know in your heart it should be.
– Lois Bryan
Fantastic series – and I LOVE the informational part about owls. Thanks so much for researching that and sharing it with us.
Anne … thank you .. you know how much I love your work!!!! I’m honored!!!!!!
– Lois Bryan
excelllent
Steve!!!! Thank you!!!
– Lois Bryan