A sudden rustle in the foliage caught my attention. There he was, high up and almost invisible, perfectly camouflaged in a hollow beech trunk: a tawny owl. The Loonse and Drunense Dunes were in full autumn colours. Between the orange and yellow, it was hardly noticeable that this bird was sitting there - as if it had been napping in this spot for years.
The light was diffuse because of the overcast sky, but just soft enough to make the texture of the old trunk and the plumage beautifully visible. The branches and leaves in the foreground caught warm colours and framed the image naturally. I deliberately photographed from below so that the composition emphasised the owl's sheltered spot - its own little lookout in a tree that has endured many seasons.
Tawny owls are shy animals that rarely show themselves during the day. They live in old forests like the one at Plantloon Estate, where dead wood is left alone. Such places are crucial for burrowing birds like the tawny owl.
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?Every day #solitude pictures of our nature
??Get away from daily madness
?Canon EOS R
??Netherlands
?Photos by:@robin_van_korven
IG: @sultry.pictures..
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