Sometimes...

You set out to get a nature photo and actually have a degree of success. The photo in the header taken at Dick Young Forest Preserve was not a setup. But close to it.

Two weeks ago I noted that a great horned owl moved out of the woods at twilight to perch on a bent over tree. That night I had no c

amera. But I vowed to come back when the weather and light was good to take a photo.

Parking my car at the "old" lot entrance, I traipsed out the trail ignoring the swamp and tree sparrows beckoning my attention with scope and camera. "Sorry," I muttered. "Gotta get my owl."

Arriving at the woods I hooted but heard nothing in reply. Moving cautiously up the woodland trail with eyes raised, I finally spotted the owl. Who proceeded to drop from his perch and fly toward the marsh.

But then he/she landed. And sat contentedly eyeing the marsh and fields. So I set

up carefully, trying to find a place where twigs and foreground material would not interfere with the shot. My Nikon 4300 is so old and beat up it is hard to use the viewfinder, which is only an inch wide to begin with.

So I've learned to eliminate all possible nearby twigs as I frame the shot. More than once I've gotten home to find really clear pictures of some benign twig and a fuzzy bird in the background.

But this time I could see the bird clearly and snapped away. It stayed for several minutes and I was confident I had some sunlight shots, so I moved a few feet over. Just then the sun went behind the cloud and the whole frame darkened. The bird now looked blue, not ochre as it did in the sunlight. But I took more photos. Then the owl jumped into flight and headed for the woods.

I'd gotten my prize. However humble my photographic skills may be, it is fun to capture an image of an owl or other interesting bird. I'm truly a hobbyist. But it sure is absorbing.

And I got home in time for supper. As promised.