deviant art





Login
Join deviantART for FREE Take the Tour Lost Password?
Deviant Login
Buy Art Buy deviantWEAR Buy adCast Buy Premium Upgrade
Shop
 Join deviantART for FREE Take the Tour
Download Image
JPG, 425×573Shop Similar Prints
This Print Not Available
[x]

More from *LG-Young

Featured in Groups:

group avatar #Birds-Club
We love birds! group avatar #watercolorists
All We Need Is U group avatar #Traditional-Media
Outstanding Traditional Artwork

Details

March 1, 2011
260 KB
425×573
Link
Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 11
Favourites: 48 [who?]
Views: 328 (0 today)
Downloads: 6 (0 today)

Camera Data

NIKON CORPORATION
NIKON D60
10/1250 second
F/5.6
55 mm
100
Feb 18, 2011, 3:07:26 PM
GIMP 2.6.6
Shop For This Camera
[x]
:iconlg-young:
"Moongazer"
12 x 16 inches
Watercolor on 300 lb cold press paper

Late last summer, while Chad and I were taking an evening walk along south Timberline Road, we heard the most unearthly screeching sounds coming from a stand of cottonwood trees: "Yrrrch! Yrrrch! Yrrrch!" It turned out to be a couple of recently fledged barn owls, calling out plaintively to their parents; the latter of whom silently glided a short space away, hoping to divert the approaching humans' attention. "Yrrrch!" They were amazingly loud. I could now see why earlier generations attached so many superstitions to these creatures, and how unsettling it would've been to accidentally run into them in the dark.

Barn Owls, also known as Ghost Owls or Monkey-Faced Owls, are quite a wide-spread species, being found in the Americas, Europe, and Africa. However they aren't as common as they once were, especially as many of their namesake barns are being demolished or renovated into modern buildings. Fortunately they do well in nesting boxes, and some farmers are even working with conservationists to host rehabilitated owls on their property.

Interestingly, barn owls aren't classified as "true" owls, (Strigidae) but belong to a unique group called Tytonidae. Their leg structure is different, they don't have ear tufts, and they most certainly don't hoot. Individual coloring can widely vary, with some being very deeply colored, almost cocoa brown, while others are nearly pure white. Males and females can look somewhat similar, but overall the females are usually larger and have more markings/coloring on their undersides. They usually mate for life and can raise at least two broods of chicks per season.

It's my hope that, due to a milder winter, we'll soon sight even more of these pale, otherworldly birds near our home, hunting in the deep twilight...
:icon:
Add a Comment:
 
Preview   Add Comment

The Artist has requested Critique on this Artwork

Please sign up or login to post a critique.

love 2 2 joy 0 0 wow 0 0 mad 0 0 sad 0 0 fear 0 0 neutral 0 0
:iconsakura748:
Mood: Love ~sakura748 Jan 7, 2012
so beautiful
Reply
:iconredwineroses:
~redwineroses Mar 14, 2011
beautiful!
Reply
:iconbarbareola:
~Barbareola Mar 12, 2011
I love the details and the soft, warm colours. Well done.
Reply
:iconthesvetislav:
~thesvetislav Mar 4, 2011
I love the structure of the woods, and a bird is beautiful, I can see it often! Good painting!
Reply
:iconkatiemazurek:
*KatieMazurek Mar 4, 2011
wow!!!!!! so gorgious! ^^ xxxxx

--
Expressive!
Reply
:iconaangelluvlyy:
~aangelluvlyy Mar 2, 2011  Hobbyist General Artist
Wonderful.:clap:
Reply
:iconellygator:
*Ellygator Mar 2, 2011  Hobbyist General Artist
Absolutely gorgeous - my favorite species of owl!

--
"You must do everything yourself." (First rule of Alchemy)
Reply
:iconbear48:
*bear48 Mar 1, 2011
this is exquisite

--
St. Francis said,
“A man who uses his hands is a laborer. One who uses his hands and mind is a craftsman. He who uses his hands, and his mind, and his heart is an artist.”
Reply
:iconakiravoice:
~AkiRavoice Mar 1, 2011
Really catches the eye.

--
...at night.
Reply
:iconshamoosh:
~shamoosh Mar 1, 2011  Student Digital Artist
Nice work, keep it up C: !
Reply
:icon:
Add a Comment:
 
Preview   Add Comment
©2012 deviantART. All rights reserved
About Us | Contact Us | Developers | Careers | Site Tour | Help & FAQ Advertise | Premium Membership Etiquette | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Copyright Policy