From Mike Cohen
OK, I admit it. This is a semi brag shot. If the image quality and angle was better, it would be a pure brag shot. But I’m amazed that I was able to capture it at all, hence the brag part. Unfortunately, there was a tree to stage right and the wing of the bird was partially obscured. I could see all the feathers but the out of focus tree affected the color and clarity of the feathers in that area. I also don’t like the colors or contrast and did the best I could do to alleviate those issues in post. But, no Al here, or it would undoubtedly come out better.
OK, with that out of the way, here’s what happened: A “teenage” owl flew out into the field where its parent had captured and consumed a bug before the juvenile could get there. Hey, time to make a living on your own junior! On its way back to the nest it spotted this bug and up came the talons and up came my lens. The bug, by the way, made a get-a-way.
(Burrowing Owl - Athene cunicularia)
(Sony a1ii, 400mm lens, f/4.5, 1/4000 second, ISO 800)
I know they eat larger bugs. Since this is a young owl, it may just be grinding its skill tree on whatever it comes across. That little big hardly seems worth the energy of that pounce otherwise. That’s just my guess.