MID WINTER GREAT GREY OWLS / LAPPUGLER

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 1250 

Can you imagine that a bird perched up in a tall tree,- inspite of all kinds of environmental noises and with no external ears, is able to hear and locate a mouse on the ground ... some 25 - 30 m away ... under 20 - 30 cm of dense, isolating snow ?? This unbelievable ability is what`s beeing displayed when the hungry great grey owl is sitting in the tree overlooking the snow-covered meadow for possible prey. When the owl has located a mouse be hearing, the bird gets on it`s wings and often with a vertical dive ... a if guided by by some kind of heat-sensitive radar ... dashes into the snow to grab the invisible rodent.

My pictures are taken in Kajaani district, Finland, in mid February over a period of 4 days. These owls do not accept feeding with dead mice, so this is a documentation of owls hunting naturally for voles (markmus & jordrotter) in the winterly landscape with a mix of forest & meadows. Accordingly there s no guarantee for photographic results. First thing of course will simply be to locate and owl in the landscape (which is no obvious issue in the first place), secondly you will have to find an individual that allows you to get on shooting range, then you must hope that this bird is hungry and will start hunting and finally : hope that if so happens this will be within acceptable photo distance. In other words : not necessarily "a walk in the park" !!

Thanks to Antti Vierimaa, Finnature, for experienced and devoted guiding. Also thanks to german photographer Ingo Arndt for great company and great inspiration !  

D4, 600 4m0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 4500

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 2800

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 3200

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 5000

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 720

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 1600

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 1250

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 4000

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 3200

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 3200

D4, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/500, ISO1000

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/640, ISO 1600

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 900

D4, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/1250, ISO 2000

D4, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/800, ISO 800

D4, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/2000, ISO 2500

D4, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/2000, ISO 1800

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 9000 

The owl has grabbed a mouse down in the deep snow

D4, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 6400 

D4, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/2000, ISO 2200

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Sorry for presenting this many pictures, .... but you should have seen the ones I took away !!!!