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Ural Owl at the International Centre for Birds of Prey (ICBP), Newent, Gloucestershire; 2 July 2014.
A blank expression, if owls have expressions, but certainly alert. And a medium-sized owl, a little larger than our Tawny, motionless and regarding me passively from a high perch in a shaded cage at the end of a long line of cages.
And yet this is the one to watch, the one with a reputation for ferocious attacks upon those intruding into its nesting area. Google “ural owl attack” and you will see footage of attacks on humans, and mention of some being blinded in Finland. And the Collins Bird Guide describes it as very aggressive, telling birders to “keep your eyes fixed on the parents if you stumble on an inhabited nest, and leave area quickly!”. Not at all what one would expect from the silent and still occupant of that final cage.
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D700 with 70-300 Nikkor at 300mm; 3,200 ISO; Color Efex Pro 4.
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FATman Photos 
The expression is all behind the eyes, look closer. Is he just bored and aloof, or playing with us, lulling us into a false sense of security so that we’ll move closer. 😊
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He was in a cage, which I regret – but I wouldn’t want to go in there and try and keep him company! 🙂
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fantastic shot! Love him!
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Cybele, thank you! A 🙂
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I think that part of the inherent spookiness about owls is their apparently-complete lack of expression. They observe (not missing anything), they contemplate, and they concentrate, and, unless they’ve been injured and are in rehab, I don’t think they like confinement one little bit. Probably not even then.
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Yes, good points, Gary >>> especially the lack of expression >>> they have two eyes facing forwards as we do, and with imagination we might see them as somehow “humanoid” but, if they are that, we can never, ever read their thoughts.
And I take your point about dislike of confinement too – they sit stoically, motionless, returning our gaze – and I am left with the ethical choice – respect their feelings and photograph elsewhere, or take the opportunity to create images. Adrian
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There is something so very special about Owls…
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Yes, definitely – maybe those two eyes peering out from those ghostly faces, maybe their hunched, rounded form like a centre of darkness, darker than dark, watching from the trees at night – or maybe just their calls piercing the the darkness …
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All of the above !
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Indeed, there is more to owls than meets the eye!! I LOVE them
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So do I!
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