Blue-eyed Barred Owl Flying and Tapetum lucidum explained

We had an incredible end to this week’s Winter Owl Workshops yesterday. This Barred Owl spent a few hours hunting in the open meadows in front of my group. It was the perfect end to an incredible week of winter owling with another great group.

Tapetum lucidum

Barred owl eyes can sometimes appear blue due to light scattering and how their eyes reflect light under certain conditions. While barred owls naturally have dark brown to black eyes, they may look blue in photos or under specific lighting.

More details: The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eyes of many vertebrates and other animals that lies immediately behind the retina. It reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors. The tapetum lucidum contributes to the superior night vision of some animals.

KUDOS:

I recently attended the Winter Owl workshop, and I can honestly say it was an incredible experience. Not only did we have the opportunity to capture a number of  stunning owls in their natural habitat, but the whole trip was expertly organized. Chris was knowledgeable, patient, and offered great tips to help elevate my skills.   It was an unforgettable experience that I highly recommend to anyone looking to improve their wildlife photography while enjoying a unique adventure! - Mike B. (Virginia, USA).

Barred Owl (Strix varia, Chouette rayée, BADO) Ontario, Canada, during my recent Winter Owl Workshops. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony a9 Mark III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 10,000, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Great Gray Owl Phantom of the North

I photographed this Great Gray Owl (Great Grey Owl in some parts of the world) using my Sony a1 mirrorless camera with the FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS zoom lens @348mm in a winter snowstorm during my winter owl workshop.

Owls have such a mysterious grace about them. One of my favourite facts about the Great Gray Owl is that it is an optical illusion. It is one of the largest owls in the world (by length), and, at the same time, it's not that big at all. Great Gray Owls have relatively small bodies but are covered in so many dense layers of long feathers that they appear to be much bulkier than they are.

Great Gray Owl Phantom of the North (Strix nebulosa, Chouette Lapone, GGOW, Dark Wood Owl, Lapland Owl, Striped Owl, Lapp Striped Owl) ©Christopher Dodds Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens @348mm ISO 6,400, F6.3 @ 1/5,000s Manual Exposure mode. Join me for my winter owl workshops in January.