Friday, April 8, 2011

The owl that wasn't, Berkeley Marina

Burrowed burrowing owl - Pat Ulrich Wildlife Photography

This is a shot about a shot that I had in my head but was never able to get. After finding this owl in a burrow that was an ideal location for a nice ground level image right near the fence to keep the dogs out, I had high hopes to come home with an image of this bird standing tall by its burrow. I returned to the park many times this spring, but each time the owl stayed tucked away inside. On my last trip in March, I finally saw it half-out of the hole -- but by then the grass was too tall for the shot I wanted anyway. Such is the joy of wildlife photography though. Not that there's joy in not getting a shot you want, but there is much joy when the stars align and the animals actually do what you were envisioning in perfect light. You never know when it will happen -- so the more potential images you have stored in your head, the better ;-)

6 comments:

  1. oh i love this shot!!! it's perfect in its own way!!!

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  2. What a great shot....he sure looks like a sneaky fellow.

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  3. I love it. Looks like he's a cat that is about to pounce on your or something. :)

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  4. Nice image Pat. I like the colors and the clean BG and FG.

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  5. What a great point of view, to be on the ground with subject. The owl is an amazing shot, I am so impressed with all your nature photos. I will definitely be back.

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  6. What a brilliant composition, love it! Well done.

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