Unexpected Flight Shot (Northern Pygmy Owl)
I have been holding on to this one for a few weeks now and wondering if I should post it. I was set up for portrait photography at the time and the bird suddenly jumped towards the cliff. The motion blur does give a sense of how fast these little guys can move though.
Pygmy On The Rocks #2 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Landed very close to us in order to snatch up a grasshopper.
Fall Colour Background (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another great performance by the northern pygmy owl. I was concentrating more on static shots today and still managed to have a great time! Background is fall maple leaves and arbutus trees. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.
Sideview Wings Down (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is a wings down version of the same owl after he launched. Wings down is my favorite.
Sideview Wings Up (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Had a lot of fun at the venue yesterday. Plenty of happy photographers.
Might as Well Jump! (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry, the light was a bit harsh at the venue yesterday.
Looking Back (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another pic from "The Money Tree". Flickr folks please left click for better detail.
On The Down Stroke (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This image taken from a few days ago. The background is a bit busy but I liked the detail on the bird so decided to post it anyway.
Pygmies Love Grasshoppers (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Pygmies have been known to drop down right at a photographer's feet to snatch up one of these guys.
Yearly Gathering 2024
Photo friends gather near Nanaimo to shoot the elusive northern pygmy owl.
Pygmy Projectile #2 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
People seemed to like the first one so here is another bullet shot with both eyes towards the camera. Enjoy!
Cliffside Closeup (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A quiet moment at the edge of the cliff while hunting for grasshoppers. Flickr folks please left click for better detail.
After Another Grasshopper (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A bit of a crop on this one but still not too bad. In this image the pygmy owl dives to the cliffside after spying another grasshopper. Managed to get this image just a little while before the rain started.
Wings Straight Out (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Oops! Found one more in the sequence I thought you might like.
Towards The Camera Wings Down (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is another one in the same sequence with wings down. Don't know what it is about my A1 but I always get more wing down shots than anything else.
Better Eye Contact (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Managed to get a few more straight on shots today as the pygmy owl burst off of an old dead tree top to dive into the valley.
GIving Me The Stink Eye (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sometimes these guys look like they are really staring me down or are ticked off for some reason. Can't imagine why?
Pygmy Projectile (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another one for the "Bullet Bird" album.
Pygmy Environmental #2 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another environmental image. This time with the pygmy in flight. Hope you like it. Did not think that I had managed to get this image as these guys are like the lazuli bunting and can be wicked fast and unpredictable.
My Favorite (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Couldn't believe I got this image as for some reason the focus was off and on again today. Here is one of the more successful photos in the series.
A Bit Closer (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Got a closer wings up shot as the pygmy owl flew a short distance to reposition himself on another tree.
Pygmy Environmental 2024
The bird only hung around for a few minutes this morning before flying up higher in a position with a white background. Too bad as down low there were no shadows until the afternoon when the sun burnt the low cloud away.
Pygmy Sky Shot (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Phew! at first I thought I had blown out the eye brows! Here is something you don't see every day.
Flickr folks please left click for more detail.
Coming in For a Landing (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Lots of flight shots to be had this year for some reason.
Eye on The Prize (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A northern pygmy owl dives down from an arbutus tree to scoop up an unsuspecting grasshopper on the edge of the cliff. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.
Grasshopper! Where? (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A northern pygmy owl hunts insects close to the ground on an old dead tree branch.
Curious Expression (Northern Pygmy Owl)
The pygmy owl cocks his head to one side trying to figure out what all the people with the big camera lenses are staring at.
Money Tree Shot 2024 (Northern Pygmy Owl))
What a pleasure! Have not shot the pygmy owl on the Money Tree in good light for a couple of years now. A very cooperative bird with fun being had by everyone at the venue today.
Flickr folks please left click for better detail.
Top Down View (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another photo taken from the edge of the cliff a couple of days ago.
Pygmy on The Rocks (Northern Pygmy Owl)
You won't see this every day. Normally the pygmies like to be in a tree or a small bush but you rarely get them on open ground. This photo taken right at the edge of a 200 foot cliff just before he dove into the valley.
Wings Down Version (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry, bit of a heavy crop on this one. These guys looking a bit frowsy. Not sure what is going on. Possibly in the molting stage?
Pygmy Owl in Flight (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went out on the edge of a cliff for this image. Managed to catch a few stray frames as the owl flew a short distance from one tree to another. Like photographing lazuli buntings only faster and more unpredictable.
Rainy Day Pygmy (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Rainy day pygmies always seem to know when it's time to call. At times a little chilly at the venue today with a bit of rain coming down.
Close Up Portrait (Northern Pygmy Owl)
The northern pygmy owl came quite close today. Haven't seen or heard him since May. Nice to have him visiting the local venue once again.
First of The Season (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Nice to see our little buddy back at the usual venue.
Change of Diet (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Now that the bugs are all gone the northern pygmy owl has changed over to his winter diet of birds and small rodents. In this image he has caught an unsuspecting chickadee as it fed with the rest of the flock in a near by fir tree.
Pygmy Closeup (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Pretty harsh light at the venue the other day. Had to wait until the owl flew into the shadows.
Fall Colour Pygmy Owl #2
Found another one I like with a less cluttered background. Hope you like it!
Fall Colour Pygmy Owl (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Took this photo today. Wouldn't you know? I was just talking about this guy yesterday and here he is. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.
Keeping His Distance (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went to visit the northern pygmy owl the other day because the light was so much better with no shadow. Unfortunately he wasn't in a cooperative mood and stayed far away. I was hoping for a flight shot so I kept the shutter speed high, In the end he flew away from me to go down into the valley.
Hey! You're Not a Warbler! (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went on a quest for more warbler images today and found a pygmy owl instead. Who knew?
Don't try this at home friends. Hung over a 100 foot cliff 20 feet away for this shot.
Sunny Morning Pygmy Owl (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Taken earlier in the season when they came in a bit closer.
Backlight But All Right (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Not sure why but they always tend to come closer on harsh sunny days. When the light is good they play keep away and either hide or roost out of photography range. This one taken a few days ago. Flickr folks please left click for a closer view.
Keeping a Vigil (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A northern pygmy owl keeps an eye on some ravens as they pass close by his perch.
Hiding in The Spanish Moss (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Saw my first pygmy owl in 6 months today. Not the greatest of perches but a pretty close location.
Pygmy Environmental (Northern Pygmy Owl) #112
This one taken from another angle and a bit farther back to show some environment.
Return of The Puff Ball (Northern Pygmy Owl) #113
Got a visit from my favourite little buddy today. Great to see him after photographing ducks all winter.
A Slightly Different Perspective (Northern Pygmy Owl) #114
Here is the same owl but I have changed my position slightly to make for a better background. Hmm.... not so sure I succeeded.
Another Back Shot (Norhern Pygmy Owl)
Unfortunately I couldn't get a good frontal view of the bird without going over the cliff so had to settle with this back shot. Turned out pretty good though.
Pygmy Portrait 2021 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Tried to get close but the pygmy owl was a bit elusive today. Should have used a higher F/stop. Forgot how super telephotos tend to compress at close distances.
Thanks for your faves and comments everyone! I am shooting a bit less lately but seem to be getting more explores too.
Better Eye Contact (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This image is what the group was seeing from their side.
Cliff Side Pygmy Shoot (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Took two photos merged to get everyone in. Our photography group from today. Doug Fisk and Dave Pley don't show in the picture as they were photographing on the same side of the cliff that I was. That wood is some sort of left over structure from a wedding. Think I will go up there tomorrow and try to remove it before someone trips and falls to their doom.
More Even Light (Northern Pygmy Owl) #108
It was an uncommon day today where we got nice even light and the pygmy owl on an open perch with a good background. I had a high shutter speed as I was trying to catch the bird in flight. Unfortunately he turned at the last moment to fly away from me.
Arbutus Backshot (Northern Pygmy Owl) #107
Here is a different angle on our northern pygmy owl. The out of focus arbutus leaves in the background make him look like he is in the jungle.
Something He Ate? (Northern Pygmy Owl) #106
A northern pygmy owl ejects a pellet after feasting on insects during his morning hunt.
Hunting From The Shade (Northern Pygmy Owl) #105
Had some fun up on the mountain today with some photography friends and the northern pygmy owl.
Environmental (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Can't put my finger on it just something that I really like about this one. Taken hand-held pretty close to full frame. If you are on Flickr left click twice for highest detail.
Hiding in The Pinecones (Northern Pygmy Owl)
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Lost Pygmy Owl Image (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is one from last month that never got posted. Didn't want to be too repetitious at the time so saved it for later. Enjoy!
Portrait Version (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Kind of like this crop too. You be the judge.
First Pygmy Owl of 2021 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry about this one. I will try to get closer next time 🙂
Back at You (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Slept in this morning so I didn't make it into the high country until around 10:15. Found three pygmies in the usual spot but only one was cooperative and let me get this close up image. Had to get a foot from the edge of the cliff and sit down to get at the same level as the bird.
Fall Pymy Owl in Arbutus (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Think I am getting a bit better at hand-holding.
Closeup Portrait (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is a closer image when the owl came in and landed on a dead arbutus branch. It will depend on your screen but you may have to click twice to get to full magnification.
Orange Light Owl (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Lots of smoke around because of the wildfires raging in California and Oregon right now. The light from the sun was softer today but left the owl with an orange glow. Kind of like the effect but you be the judge.
Pygmy Owl in Arbutus (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Taken hand-held at full frame.
On Another Favorite Perch (Northern Pygmy Owl)
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Patience Pays Off (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Stayed behind after all the other photographers had left today and had a great shoot with the pygmy owl at around 11:00am.
Not The Usual Perch (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Steve Rose from Toronto found our friend today quite a ways from his usual roost.
More Environmental (Northern Pygmy Owl)
After not seeing this guy for about six weeks I am startled once again by how tiny they are. The stick on the left is probably a bit over 4 inches in length to give you an idea of how small the owl is. Pygmy owls are very easy to miss or be confused with a sparrow or a junco if you see them in a tree from a distance.
I Got a Dirty Beak (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Our local pygmy owl must have been busy this morning as when I took this image he was sporting some bloody debris on his beak from a recent kill along with a tiny bird feather of some kind.
Another Visit (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went up the hill looking for warblers and got another visit from the local pygmy owl. Who knew?
Tooter in The Trees (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Had another nice meeting with the local pygmy owl today. Had two of them tooting back and forth for a while.
Interesting Perch (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry about this one. Couldn't get the owl to come in very close yesterday so had to settle for a rather large crop. OK for display on Facebook and Flickr though.
Better Focus? (Northern Pygmy Owl)
They must have given my camera a real tune up at Canon when I sent it in. Could swear that it is even better focus than before.
Big Foot (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Could be how the Sasquatch legend began.
Small But Mighty (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This image gives you an idea of how small they are. Think junko or sparrow size. I know what you are thinking. Why the high shutter speed at 1/2000sec? Well, I am always hoping to catch one in flight but they are really hard to predict. There is little or no motion before they react. Not bad for the high ISO(8000) though and shot at 1200mm. Just to give a better perspective, the branch is about six inches thick and sticks out about two and a half feet in the photo.
Favorite Perch (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Our little buddy came by for another visit yesterday. Sorry, I will try to get closer next time 🙂
Can You Hear Me? (Northern Pygmy Owl)
In an attempt to communicate with its adult parents a juvenile northern pygmy owl trills from a near by branch.
Today's Close Up (Northern Pygmy Owl)
The juvi pygmy owl came in close again today on his late morning hunt for fresh grasshoppers.
Out on a Limb... Again (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Did a bit of shooting today at 1200mm with the 2X extender. Didn't come out too bad. This bird is at least 150 feet away.
Bird of a Different Color (Northern Pygmy Owl)
The light was better today but unfortunately the owls weren't cooperating like usual. Had to settle for this image with a blue background of distant trees instead of the preferable green background when trees are closer behind the subject. Found this owl rather interesting as it was a lot more chocolate in color than all of the other pygmies which are more of a reddish brown.
Poofy Pygmy (Northern Pygmy Owl)
In this image the pygmy owl fluffs himself up as part of his preening ritual. Looks quite comical as if he had a rough night 🙂
Owl In The Headlights (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This one brought a smile to my face 🙂
Hop Scotch (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Not sure if this qualifies as a flight shot or not. I managed to get a frame when the owl jumped from the smaller stub to the main branch. Got the face in focus at least 🙂
Did You Whistle? (Northern Pygmy Owl)
I was pretty mad at myself today because I forgot all of my electronic noise making gizmos at home. Was still able to call in this juvenile pygmy owl using my own whistle imitation of their call - who knew?
Hey! You're Not My Mother (Northern Pygmy Owl)
In this image the juvi pygmy owl narrows his eyes to get a better look at me. He may have come to that particular perch because he thought I was one of his parents when he heard me whistle.
Top Of The World (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Best viewed at full size. Caught in mid toot! Left click twice for actual pygmy size.
Keeping an Eye On Me (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This is a bit of a crop taken when he was farther away in a fir tree. For those of you that may like a more environmental image.
Perched On The Pinnacle (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went into the hills looking for some leftover tanagers and ended up with a pygmy owl. Who knew? Nice light anyway. No shadows.
Pygmy Suprise! (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went looking for Townsend's warblers and ended up finding a northern pygmy owl. Who knew?
Forest Guardian ( Northern Pygmy Owl)
Remember when you go into the forest, they will be watching you.
Unexpected Visitor (Northern Pygmy Owl)
My hip has been bothering me lately so I went low calibre today with only the 100-400mm around my neck. Should have opted for the 600mm and 1.4x. Not normal to see these guys this early. Figured that this must be the female as the other bird was tooting close by.
Grasshopper Hunter (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This guy came by for a visit a few times yesterday. At one point he dropped to the ground about six feet away and snatched up a grasshopper. Not the greatest of lighting situations but I did my best. Please left click for best detail.
Get A Grip (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry I haven't bee posting much lately. I have been in a bit of a holding pattern waiting for winter raptor season to start. Here is one from a few weeks ago that never got posted.
Money Tree Serenade (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another northern pygmy owl toots on "The Money Tree". Somewhere near Parksville B.C.
By the way, if you are viewing this on my website, you are only seeing a low resolution thumbnail. It is actually a video on Flickr.
Better Eye Contact And Focus (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went and posted too soon again and just found this one among all of my images from yesterday. I hand held at 840mm with the 600 and the 1DX 2 so I had to take quite a few shots. They are all pretty similar but you know what it is like. Sometimes there is that perfect one buried in there that you just miss. You be the judge.
Pygmy Launch (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This one taken from a distance in low light. Not quite fast enough to freeze the wings but as in some of my other images with owls the head and the tail are in focus.
Late Entry (Northern Pygmy Owl)
We thought we were going to get skunked again today but our little buddy showed up around 11:00am and gave us a good show for about a half an hour or so.
Watching From The Shadows ( Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is one that I missed posting from last week. Although the light was not ideal, I got pretty close to this guy.
