Great Horned Owl
STRIGIFORMES. STRIGIDAE. Bubo virginianus. Great Horned Owl. Morningside Nature Center, Gainesville, Florida. 2012.
I took an evening walk hoping to see some wildlife and flowers after recent rains. I was just about to go home when I heard a strange sound. It was a little like a cross between a macaw and a person screaming. I followed the sound, knowing it was something interesting, and found this Great Horned Owl sitting in a tree. I was able to get pretty close and fired off a bunch of shots. Once again, I shot first and thought later, and it was only when I got home that I remembered that I should adjust the ISO in the dark. Doh! This is cropped and has had adjustments for exposure and contrast.