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Werner Bollmann - Taiga Ghost

 

During the breeding season the male Great Grey Owl brings food (mostly rodents) to the aerie where the female distributes it to the nestlings. This happens, depending on the rodent population, a few times every night. Afterwards the male usually stays for a little while somewhere in a tree close to the nesting site before he starts hunting again. This was the moment I was waiting for. Waiting for owls means being alert all the time, because you can’t hear them coming. All of a sudden you see a grey shadow flying through the dense forest like a ghost. Four nights had already elapsed, and each time the male flew into a dense ugly spruce tree, where I couldn’t take a single picture. But that special night the big bird landed in a beautiful birch tree. This short moment was worth it – pure joy!

Location: Finland

Posted on: 04/05/2013
Photo info - 10.06.2010: : Nikon D3s, 4.0/500mm, f4.5, 1/250, ISO 1000

Tags: finland, forest, great grey owl, spring, strix nebulosa, taiga, werner bollmann