Boreal Owl

I wanted to share this image of a boreal owl made during my Winter Owl Workshops 19 years ago in 2005 that I have just licensed for publication. Notice how I had to work differently with the first generations of professional digital cameras; I used ISO 800, which was exceptionally high and considered noisy back then. This image is reprocessed using the latest Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop techniques, which make a huge difference compared to the cover of the winter 2008 edition of Québec Oiseaux Magazine shown below.

Boreal Owl or Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus, Nyctale de Tengmalm) from for my Winter Owl Workshops in 2005. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. 100-400mm Zoom @220mm ISO 800, f/5.6 @ 1/100s Manual exposure. Full Frame image.

Cover of the Winter 2008 edition of Québec Oiseaux magazine.

Boreal Owl

Boreal Owl  or Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus, Nyctale de Tengmalm) while scouting for my Winter Owl Workshops in Ontario, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher DoddsSony Alpha a9 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens  @190mm ISO 400, f/5.6 @ 1/400s Manual exposure. Full Frame.

Here's a Boreal Owl with a sprinkle of snow photographed with the new Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens while testing the new Wimberley MH-100 Monogimbal Head for monopods (stay tuned for my mini-review of this awesome new addition to my kit soon).

Photographing the Boreal Owl & Ultimate Owl Camera Kit

Boreal Owl  or Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus, Nyctale de Tengmalm) Owl Woods, Amherst Island, Ontario, Canada Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 50D, 100-400mm @ 285mm. ISO 400, F5.6 1/80s Manual. Purchase a print or license image for publication HERE.

The thick frost and -5°C temperature during my morning walk through the orchard with T-Bone this morning had me looking foreword to having my snow tires installed and the coming winter owl season.
Last year, I found that having a Canon 50D (with it's 1.6X crop factor) and my Canon 100-400mm zoom lens in a Lowepro Cirrus TLZ 25 Holster Style Case For Digital SLR & Telephoto Zoom Lens (Black) shoulder pouch was the ultimate owl kit to have with me at all times while scouting for roosting Saw-whet owls, Boreal owls, Long-eared owls and short-eared owls. I used to hike through the woods with my pro camera bodies and multiple lenses (including the 500mm F4 IS with matching Tele-converters) packed in my Lowepro Super Trekker. Both Boreal and Saw-whet owls are nocturnal and will probably stay on the same perch for most of the daylight hours, so if I decide I would like images with my 1DsIII and tripod mounted 500mm lens, I have plenty of time to go back to the car and get them. Long-eared and short-eared owls typically flush quite easily, so being ready with my ultimate hand-held rig is key to photographing them. This winter I will use Canon's new 7D with my 100-400mm zoom lens while hiking through the woods and I can't wait!
How do you get an image of a nocturnal owl with it's eyes wide open? - just wait as long as it takes for a birding group (often 10-20 people) to hike right up to you and the owl; there is often a thin layer of ice covering the snow or frozen swampland in the woods that makes quite a racket when that may people approach.

Known in North America as the Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus, it is also known as Tengmalm's Owl, named after the Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm.

SOLD: FOR SALE: CANON 1D MARK II

I have a used Canon 1D Mark II (not the 1D Mark IIN) for sale. This has been a much loved and used camera body that has many marks, scratches and little dings. It has been used professionally and it shows. 100% in working order and includes the original box , charger and contents. Also includes an extra battery. CAD$1,000.00 or best offer. Email me if interested: chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com

Comments welcome & appreciated.