Green bottomed owl

[elsa hoffmann]

Of course I couldn't see a damn thing on my camera's TV - so had to wait until I could view the images on my Mac to see the green bottomed owl.
Clearly it needs a bath.
Spotted Eagle owl - unfortunately you cant choose where it parks it's green bottom.
I have just about stopped shooting herons - Too many around and too many photos in my portfolio.
Lesser Flamingo clearly showing it's dark beak

[Fons Baerken]

i like the owl in battle colours

[armando_m]

Elsa ,

The owl sure can look more presentable, I have never seen an owl with green feathers, seems someone before him had an adventure with a parrot ?

I'll say that maybe you can continue to shoot herons, and share the images once you catch them doing something unique

I do not recall ever seeing an image of a flaming swimming

[Randy Stout]

Elsa:

You must have caught the owl right after he went into the water/muck to grab something.  Never seen that effect, so well captured.

I like your herons heads up pose and the background.

Flamingos are just so over the top re;coloration
Thanks for sharing.

Randy

[Anthony]

Great, the owl is so well camouflaged.

I don't think flamingos swim; they wade.

[elsa hoffmann]

thank you Fons and Randy
Armando - therein lies the challenge - something unique would be really nice!
Anthony - you are right - no one else saw the owl - they all drive past - but I think I was desperate - which is why I got him
The water levels in the pans are indeed very very low. But Flamingos do swim while feeding if the water level is too high. Apparently.

[Peter Connan]

Is this a new species Elsa!

Great captures.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks Peter. Like a fool I actually checked the book (on site) as I couldnt see properly until I got home and had a closer look

[Peter Connan]

I always wait until I get home before checking the books...

[elsa hoffmann]

Ya but I couldnt resist showing off my App - haha
listen this is nothing! My friend Francois Cloete in Pretoria - one eve saw an owl on the church steeple -
rushed home to get his camera - shot the thing and went home -
only to discover it was a wooden owl...

[Akira]

The green on the owl looks a bit artificial to me.  I wonder if it touched something freshly painted green?

Without the green speck, the owl would look more interesting in full protective color just with the yellow eyes standing out.

[elsa hoffmann]

Akira, it is caused by the green algae in the water pans near by. The water level is quite low, and lots more algae than usual. It might have gone for a drink or hunted something in the shallow waters.

[Akira]

Akira, it is caused by the green algae in the water pans near by. The water level is quite low, and lots more algae than usual. It might have gone for a drink or hunted something in the shallow waters.

Thanks, Elsa, for the details.  It's a relief.

[bobfriedman]

you are so lucky to have eagle owls there..

[elsa hoffmann]

Thank you Bob. And I am going out this morning again - hopefully find them again