Friday, March 27, 2009

#088-365 Eyes

Another shot from my visit to Taronga Park Zoo, and the open air flying display. This is one of about three shots that I took of this fellow Angus the Rufous Owl, These are different to most owls (and here the Eyes have it) having smaller looking eyes from those that hunt exclusively at night.

This guy is by comparison a guts, no snacking on three or four mice a night for him, he likes big meals. Living primarily in pockets of rainforest in a large number of regions primarily in the Northern Parts of Australia, they eat primarily birds some even bigger than themselves, and generally these birds are tucked up nice and cosy at night so the Rufous has developed into a day hunter. At dusk and around dawn he has been known to take down and eat Flying Foxes (Fruit Bats) Which can grow about as big as a medium sized Corgi (without the wings), like any bird of Prey they will eat anything going, I have seen one just outside Darwin feeding on a kangaroo carcass by the side of the road, and I am sure that any litle rodent that presented itself to him in daylight, would be of the short lived variety.

As I said I got about three shots of him looking at me during his "Performance: and in all he seemed to be looking straight down into the lens, I thought it had to be my personality, but maybe it was just that he could see his own reflection in the lens and thought there is a meal, who knows.

18 comments:

MevetS said...

Very nice shot.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful eyes - you got a lot of good shots at the zoo.

Anonymous said...

Great OWL! I really do like owls of all sorts. Love the eyes too. Good shot for the theme!

Chesney said...

What a great picture - he is really an alert bird (I bet he is keeping an eye on you to report back to the evil twins...)

~Val said...

He's beautiful! What a fabulous shot!

Esther said...

Ohhhhh I don't think I would like to be on the receiving end of those eyes...they look like they have zeroed in on YOU!

barbs said...

How cool! Must be a fantastic zoo based on your shots. Ron, quit with the nice pictures. I am so convinced now I have to save like crazy and bring the family to visit Australia!!! (Of course we wanted to before I saw all your pics)

Clara said...

Great picture, Ron. He is an evil looking little bird. My Jack Russell might not be safe around him.

Rachel said...

Incredible! I love how he's looking right at you. Great shot.

Anonymous said...

Cool shot, Ron! I wonder if this type of daytime hunting owl has the highly developed hearing that makes noctural owls such efficient hunters?

mljrbg said...

Angus looks like he wants to have a chat with you!! Great shot.

Linda S said...

The detail of the bird is amazing when you enlarge the photo. Great shot.

Maria said...

This I like, owls are my favorites amongst birds.

Anonymous said...

Great capture of the intently peering eyes. By the way, Glenn could use your confirmation in bird identification - I posted on his blog that you were our resident expert on species.

Anonymous said...

Ron, this is such a cool shot!! So crisp! Excellent!

DART said...

oh, he is gorgeous! and the owl is too! JK! I did mean the owl! : P

Anonymous said...

Amazing eyes indeed and interesting to learn of daytime hunters, your zoo shots are fabulous.

Anonymous said...

Love this! It's so clear and beautiful! Love the bokeh and the processing too.....beautiful raptor!