Holiday owl

Great Horned Owl, near Tucson, Arizona (click for larger version)

This magnificent Great Horned Owl was photographed in Arizona by Louise Parker. Louise, a former Bird Watching designer (remember her?) who now works for Trail magazine, was on holiday near Tucson over the Christmas period.

"There were birds everywhere" she says, "Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens, Northern Cardinals... and there were birds of prey everwhere you looked".

Louise's nights in the Sabino Canyon were disturbed by a deep hooting from nearby trees. One morning one of the locals told her he knew which tree the local owl preferred to roost in, and a few moments later, there it was in its magnificent glory.

Louise took the photo using a simple compact digital camera on full zoom. Not bad, is it?