T'wit-two, three, four...: Once-in-a-lifetime picture of baby owls all looking straight down the lens

Look: The five owls all focus on the photographer allowing him to capture the perfect picture

They say never work with animals or children, but one amateur photographer has brilliantly disproved the theory by showing that with skill, persistence and a bit of luck it is possible to get the perfect shot.
Computer scientist Maurizio Malagoli was visiting a wildlife rehabilitation centre, in Modena, Italy, when he fell in love with a group of little owls who were being readied for release back into the wild.
He managed to capture five of the birds all looking the same way after they were startled by the sound of an earlier picture being taken.
Mr Malagoli, 36, from Modena, said: "That day I knew they would release some little owls, so I wore camouflage and waited them to fly off.
'I had to wait about a couple of hours before a group of birds were close enough to be photographed. At the first shot all their eyes turned to the direction of the camera shutter sound.

Sight: The photographer was caught by surprise when he looked through the camera lens and saw a perfect line of eyes staring back at him

'Looking into the lens I saw nothing but yellow eyes looking at me with a curious expression. Now the owls have become my favourite bird, although in Italy they are considered unlucky.'

Flight: The little owls were cautiously preparing to return to the wild when they were captured on camera

The little owl breed are usually grows to about 25cm tall and is most commonly found in the warmer parts of Europe, Asia to the east of Korea and north Africa.
The animal sanctuary which released the owls is the largest in Italy and based at Modena which is near the city of Bologna in the north of the country.
Wounded animals and birds including wrens, ospreys, tortoises and wild boar from within a 300km radius of the centre have been brought in for treatment and rehabilitation.


Luck: Although the birds are considered unlucky in Italy they are now the favourite of the amateur photographer who took these pictures

source: dailymail

Read more!

Lock up your pets! Dog owners warned as giant 6ft Eagle Owl is spotted in Devon

By NADIA GILANI

Surprise visitor: Residents were stunned when they caught sight of this Eagle Owl sitting perched on the window ledge of a terraced house in Westward Ho! near Bideford, Devon

It is not something you expect to see while walking down a busy high street.

But passers-by were forced to believe their eyes when this giant Eagle Owl was spotted perched on a the window ledge of a terraced house in Westward Ho!, near Bideford, Devon yesterday.

The enormous bird - one of the world's largest species of owl, has a wingspan of two metres (6ft) and has been known to prey on animals as big as roe deer.


Huge: The scale of the Eagle Owl can be seen here as it rested on the window ledge of a house for more than an hour before flying off

If hungry enough, the owl could easily pounce on small animals like dogs and cats, and residents have been told to report the animal if they spot it.

Passers-by were stunned when the bird was first seen at around 4.30pm yesterday. It sat there an hour-and-a-half but flew off before animal welfare officers could catch it.


Local, Nina Wickmann, 31, who took these photographs of the awesome bird said: 'Some people were looking up and wondering what it was.

'It just sat there until it opened its huge wings and flew to the ledge where I photographed it.

'It was an incredible sight. It's not every day you see a giant bird of prey in a busy street.

'When it flew off, it unleashed this huge wingspan. I would be a little nervous if I had a small dog or cat.'

Eagle owls are not listed as a British species and it is believed the bird may have escaped from a private collection.

It is feared the animal will die in the wild unless rescued and reunited with its owner.

Nina added: 'This is the first time I have seen an eagle owl and it would be nice to see it returned to its home.'


Huge wingspan: The Eagle Owl is large enough to pick up cats and small dogs

David Rampling, from the Milky Way Bird of Prey Centre in nearby Clovelly, Devon, said: 'If anyone sees this owl please call me and I will do my best to catch it in the most humane way possible.

'Unfortunately some eagle owl owners don't realise the amount of work and experience needed to keep a bird of this type.

'They are difficult to train and it's not uncommon for them to escape'.
The Milky Way Bird of Prey Centre can be contacted on 01237 431 255.

source: dailymail

Read more!