So I get a call from Roger, the farmer friend who owns the farm I am doing a book on. “Rob found something you ought to see.” “What?” I ask. “Come over and bring your camera.” I will always go over to the farm when I get a call like this because it is always something worthwhile.

Rob was out walking and found this owlet perched just as you see in the picture on a stone wall alongside one of the old farm roads. When I got there is was still just sitting there, statue like. So I took its picture. Pretty easy, huh?

Well, it wasn’t quite as easy as it sounds. The only lenses I had in my bag were a 12-24 wide angle and a 200 macro. I didn’t want to disturb the little guy so I decided not to use the short lens. The 200 was fine except I didn’t have my tripod with me. I always carry it in my jeep but on this time it wasn’t there and I didn’t check for it before I left. So I handheld this picture, shooting wide up with the ISO set at 1000 to get a high enough shutter speed. It worked out reasonably well but it would’ve been better and more relaxing if I had my tripod. 

After I was finished taking the picture Rob climbed up into the tree overhead and I handed the owlet up to him. He put it in a protected spot for the evening. We haven’t seen the little guy since.