Guide to Photographing Barn Owls (Tragopan V6 Hide Test)
I'm on a new location today hoping to photograph one of the UK's most beautiful birds, the Barn Owl.
With a few props, my trusty Tragopan V6 and everything bar the kitchen sink in hand I head off with a view to setting up a couple of posts to see if we can captures some images of this haunting bird of prey. I also demonstrate the techniques and equipment that I adopt when scouting a new location. With a short break in the weather and inbetween some really nasty storms join me to see if we can capture some footage and film of this amazing raptor.
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Another great video, Simon just shows planning and perseverance pays off in the end 👍👍 May Amber run free in heaven 🌈
Thanks Chris, thanks for the kind words👍
Thank-you so much for going through your whole set up process. It's really helpful and we recognise it takes up a lot of time to do when you could be cracking on enjoying your session . Plus, your enthusiasm and personality comes across really well in your videos. Brilliant 👍👍👍👍
Thanks for watching Brownie and your kind words 👍🏼👊🏼
What a cracking video with all the tips on staging and setting up and super sharp photos of the barn owl. So sorry about Amber always so hard to lose one of the family. Thanks for the video and advice
Glad you enjoyed it Andy and thanks for your kind words 👍🏼👊🏼
Beautiful. So sorry for the loss of your fur baby.
Thankyou Richard👊🏼
Sorry to hear of your loss Simon. Beautiful dog. I enjoy watching your channel and appreciate the tips you provide. I have to admit - once you hold the fill camo set up on and all you could see was your nose and eyes I thought I was watching Morten Hilmers channel! Great stills of the Barny! All the best..
Thanks Scooter,kind words mate. Could do with a few of Mortens viewers!!😆🤣
Brilliant.
Some cracking shots there Si 👏 as you probably know I've been following you when you had 300 following ya never mind 10 thousand that's awesome mate , sorry to hear about your dog I know they are like family thinking of ya .
Thankyou Mark, kind words pal. Thanks for supporting the channel mate.👊🏼
Top work.
Thank you. 👍📷😎
I loved this video. The footage of the owl was breathtaking. Thank you so much for posting!
Result! Great shots. Congrats on the subs, well deserved.
Thankyou Richard. Appreciate the kind words 👊🏼
A really great video. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Many thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching👊🏼
Another great vlog Simon. Thanks for all the tips and tricks always helpful and what pictures, fantastic.
Thanks for watching Robin 👀👊🏼
Great work! Love the explanations and the hard work & patience to make it all worthwhile! Thanks for sharing!
Cheers Brian, thanks for watching 👀👍🏼
Well done Simon 👍
Thanks very much👍🏼
What an amazing images of this gorgeous barn owl Simon, great job!!!
Thank you so much Gladys😀
BEAUTIFUL -thanks Simon for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it Ken 👊🏼
Really enjoyed your episode .. barn owls are one of my fav’s
Absolutely splendid.
Glad you think so, thankyou 👍🏼👊🏼
Looked like one of those rare special days when it all comes together Simon not only beautiful footage but stunning stills to follow. Super vlog. 👍 Obviously a good companion in the dedication at the end of the video - always sad when the time comes to say goodbye.
Absolutely stunning shots, both perches look really good, isn’t it lovely when a plan works out. So sorry for your loss, they are a huge part of our lives.
Thanks Sue, yeh great when all the hours waiting pays off. Thanks for the kind words.
Great production Simon - well done. Thanks.
Cheers Tony, glad you enjoyed it!!👊🏼
"If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot" 😀 fantastic, engaging video Simon. Love, love your work with great practical advice. Thank you! 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it Mark 👊🏼
Sorry to see the end credits about your best friend RIP. just proves pre planning and all the effort was worth it ,Great photographs , stay safe & healthy.
Thanks Roger, kind words pal 👍🏼👊🏼
Afternoon Simon one brilliant video mate I have learnt that much from your videos each time I am learning different skills from you when watching your videos thanks mate,, take care and stay safe
Cheers John, hopefully many more tips and tricks to come 👍🏼👀📷
Fantastic video , images and footage Simon !
Many thanks Richard
Excellent video Simon glad you back in the zone 👍some clever Camouflage good tips 👏keep them videos coming!
Cheers Paul, thanks for the support👍🏼👊🏼 gotta love a bit of camo 😀
Thanks Simon, great video and some fantastic shots.
Glad you enjoyed it James, thankyou
This is an absolute artwork that you put the time and effort for the preparation and the results are just fabulous. I'm loving all your videos but this one is probably my favorite. Thanks for sharing. Cheers from Canada.
Lovely footage!!
Thanks for visiting
Excellent.........Simon thanks for all your work in these videos
Many thanks Stan, thanks for following 👍🏼
Great vlog looks like an awesome location really need to find some owls this year. Great advice beautiful vlog to dedicate to Amber ❤
Thanks for the kind words Steve 👊🏼
Stunning simon.fantastic video.
Thanks for watching Scott📷👊🏼👀
Brilliant video Simon, I love your channel, thank you for sharing your tips with us all! 👍👏
My pleasure 👍🏼👍🏼👊🏼
Excellent video as always Simon, Thank You 👍👍👍
Very welcome 👍🏼
Excellent photos, and great video!
Thanks for visiting👍🏼
Fantastic Simon, what a beautiful bird
Cheers Paul👊🏼
Great shots at the end, well worth all the hard work
Thanks Paul
Brilliant! Beautiful animal. Appreciate the effort that you put into these videos.
Glad you enjoyed it Robert 👍🏼
Cracking stuff once again mate 👌
Thank you! Cheers Dean 👍🏼
Them pictures are AMAZING great job on taking them...I LIKE!!!
Thank you Tommy👊🏼
Well done mate! Beautiful footage of the barn owl
Cheers Jonathan
Simon, yet another great vlog. Great to see the Owls in action and to see you getting results so quickly, sadly barnies in my neck of the woods are a rare sight. Sorry to hear about Amber having dogs of my own I know how precious they are.
Thanks for your kind words, keep looking for those owls though. Good luck 👀👍🏼 🦉
Great shots Simon. Those perches look fantastic in the pictures
Cheers Dave, yeh chuffed with how the stills turned out👀👊🏼
Brilliant Simon what a bird they are🙏
Thanks Ian 👍🏼
Simon this was great a big thanks
Youre welcome Michael, thanks for watching👀👊🏼
Nothing less than absolutely spectacular! So glad that your two perches worked well. I went out last week and purchased the 150-600mm Sigma contemporary just to shoot (, hopefully!) Owls around my location. (New Brunswick, Canada)
Great video as ever, glad to see you feeling more yourself. Barn Owls are high on my list of priorities, just need to find some local and refer to some of your tips 👍
Cheers Mick, good luck in your hunt for the Barnies!!
Another totally absorbing video Simon. Stunning shots. Sorry for your loss, it is always hard losing a pet. We can only thank them for the love, loyalty and memories.
Cheers Martin, kind words mate 👊🏼👍🏼
Excellent vlog and stunning video and pictures. Just got back from two weeks in the uk and visited a wonderful woodland feeding station with lots of birds and also a local RSPB reserve where I saw Barn Owl, Short Eared Owl and Buzzard, a brilliant day out and can’t wait for next visit. Look forward to next vlog. Take care Simon.
Nice one Graham, some of the RSPB sites are great places for photography. Thanks for watching pal 👊🏼👀📷
As usual, a great programme Simon. Nice capture on the female owl and she looks lovely. We all love our dogs and it’s been 4 years for me since mine passed. Best wishes
Many thanks Martin, kind words pal 👊🏼
Hi Simon, Some lovely footage and photo's of the barn owl. The branches really worked well and looked completely natural in your pictures...🙂👍🏻
Cheers Eddie, thats the secret trying to get them to look natural. Doesn't always work but I agree that this time it seemed to have some good results.👍🏼
Love it when a plan comes together, Simon. Good recon ahead of time; great setup and great results. One thing, I'm so old that I can't even think of carrying all the crap that you do. I got myself a fold-up wagon that I load my gear into to pull it to the location. Hint: the bigger the wheels the better. Also, I can't get down on the ground anymore so I use a fold-up dove shooting stool with a back for comfort and a bag on the bottom to carry more crap.
Haha, I keep trying to trim my gear down but I use it all 🤣🤣 Good shout with the trolley, I could use a wheelbarrow!!👀👌🏼🤣🤣 Thanks for watching
Cracking Simon as always 👏
Thanks Derrick👍🏼
Love me camo aswell, had great results with my home made camo net, had roe deer walk right by me before ! 😎👍
Hi Simon. brilliant video loved it great footage images really enjoyed every moment thanks, keep safe.
Thanks for the kind words Bryan👊🏼
Great video once again Simon and full of great info. I saw your images earlier in the week on IG - superb mate. The mat is a god send for sitting on as you say. I bought one after seeing it on your first kit video. Totally agree about the camo. Last summer I was scoping out a Barn Owl site and I had a camo jacket, 3D gloves and face veil and covered my legs with a scrim scarf. A Barn Owl came over the mound to my left and was about 15ft away aiming to go just above my head. It had no idea I was there because of the camo but because I wasn’t expecting it to come flying over the mound towards me, I leaned back and it then saw me. When I packed up, I saw under the small tree behind me owl pellets on the floor with whitewash. I reckon the Barn Owl was heading for that and I was sat under its observation post. What a bonus it landed on your posts.
Thanks Gary, couldnt agree more. Camo give s you a massive advantage. Even if you dont get the shots its amazing when you get a close up experience isnt it. 👌🏼🦉👀
Congratulations on 10K subs! You deserve it. Great videos.
Thank you so much 😀
Some lovely footage and great video
Thanks for the watch Adrian 👊🏼
Lovely patients is a virtue enjoyed very much, thanks 😊
Glad you enjoyed the film Stephen👍🏼
This has to be one of your best videos yet, Simon - great to see your process and even better seeing the incredible results! Love that at around 23:40 when he (I think) looks directly at you and looks to give you a little nod of approval 👍😂 sorry to read your news about Amber, I know how hard losing a dog can be.
Thanks Jack, yeh it was a nice little project this one. Hoping to get some more shots in the coming weeks with the days getting longer. Thanks for watching. Thankyou for the kind words 👊🏼
Stunning images mate, I agree about the camo I mean who doesnt love a bit or alot of camo. Keep up the good work fella great to watch someone who works in a similar way to myself. Sorry to see about Amber always tough to loose a loved one.
Nice one Mark, cheers for supporting the channel and thanks for your kind words 👍🏼👀👊🏼
10 000 subscribers!!! Congrats Simon!!! 🇸🇪🍾💪 Great video!
Thanks Jon 😃👊🏼
Brilliant video. I just love the feeling I get when a bird lands on something I have put there for it to land on. You must have been buzzing. Awesome. Subscribed.
Theres no feeling like it is there!!👌🏼 Thanks for the sub👍🏼
Magnífico vídeo como siempre Simon , muy buen trabajo y mucha dedicación del cual yo sigo aprendiendo de tu experiencia, muchas gracias. Y muchos ánimos para ti, AMBER descansa en paz amigo mío. Un saludo.
Gracias Miguel, muy amables palabras. Me alegro de que estés disfrutando del canal. Todo lo mejor, Simón
Great video Simon!! Amber ❤️
Thankyou Samuli👊🏼
An other informative video Simon. Keep up the good work
Thanks, will do Mark, atb. Si 👊🏼
Very well done sir. Love your perches -- I have two old posts with a bit of barbed wire on them that make great perches for small birds.
Cheers Woody, always handy to have a stock of perches and posts. Stops your pictures getting stale and you can mix it up a bit 👍🏼
Awesome!
Thanks!
Another awesome video Simon 👍👍👍
Thanks a lot👍🏼
great description on your peroration its not just a matter of rocking into a field and snapping away, the shots are excellent ! so sorry for your loss of Amber.
Thanks Pat, preparation is the key!!📷👍🏼
Simon, you must be a lucky guy! Congrats to those nice shots! I wish I could find an owl, but since more than a year I didn't make it. But I will not give up! Anyhow, great video, great shots - thanks a lot! Cheers from Germany
Thats the spirit, never give up. You'll find one eventually. Good luck 👀📷🦉
Great video, fantastic pictures. Sad to hear your dog has passed. I know how hard it is when that happens. She'll be waiting at the rainbow 🌈 bridge for you.
Lovely words, thanks for watching👊🏼👀👍🏼
Fantastic that 👍👍👍👌👌
Thanks a lot Craig😊
Excellent results Simon, I totally agree with the camo you can spot someone a mile away with bright clothing even grey hair stands out. The ghillie blankets are awesome against a hedge row sometimes drape mine over the pop up hide. Currently the 2 Owl sites I visit are nocturnal need to get out after bad weather or need a cold spell👍
Cheers Laurence, no harm in wearing it is there. I was packing up the other night and I was outside of the hide. The Barnie was flying straight towards me, i slunk down in the grass and managed to get a few shots as it landed about 20 yards away. Im convinced without the camo it would have seen me!! Good luck with your owl location 👌🏼🤞🏼📷
Another great vlog and some stunning footage and images on some great perches 😁 really sorry for the loss of your pooch it's devastating when we lose our companions brought a tear to my eye when the image and dedication came up at the end as not so long ago I had to say goodbye to one of mine.
Thanks Lee, yeh its devastating when they go isn't it. Thanks for supporting the channel mate 👍🏼👊🏼
@@simoneardley it is and no worries, I love watching your vlogs and learning from them. Keep up the great work.
Fantastic video Simon yet again , really well done. I’m with you I think the camp gives you a massive advantage. I’ve followed and subscribed to you from the early days. Your flogs inspire me to want to get out there. For the past 6 months I’ve been renovating our new house in Longridge and had no time to get out. I’m a recently retired Fireman from GMC and know how hard it must be to fit in time around your shifts and USAR work. I’d like to meet up with you sometime if possible being just up the road. Cheers for now Roger.
That'd be good Roger, yeh its hard work getting all the vlogs done . It'd be nice to get em out a bit more frequent. Nice spot your in at Longridge, edge of the Trough and all that. Thanks for watching and good luck with the new house👍🏼👊🏼
Hi Simon, nice to see you again - lovely images of beautiful creatures, keep it up. Very sad to hear about your loss of Amber, a touching tribute and a pretty image of her - wish you'd given us a warning, J's in tears, we were blessed with an Amber, too. Could you post a link to the pull-over camo 'sheet' you showed? thanks. Congrats on the 10k.
Thanks Aynsley. Sorry to upset J, they get under your skin dont they 😢👊🏼 The link for the ghillie blanket is as follows .tragopan-shop.com/gb/camo-net-blanket/65--ghillie-blanket-khaki-0745125248264.html Check for import charges though 👍🏼
@@simoneardley Cheers!
Great wildlife vlog, I use the d500 and sigma too, love watching videoing and photographing Barn owls, great image
Thanks AJ, you'll not go far wrong with the D500👌🏼📷
great shots of the barn owl Simon. The snow and great grey are my favorite but so hard to find. Congrats on 10k subs also.
Thanks Kevin, I love watching the vlogs with the Great Grey owl, what a magnificent bird. Those eyes!!👀👀👀👌🏼
Another great vlog Simon, I was just trying to imagine you, thinking like an 🦉. I have the same mat, I couldn't be without it.
Thanks James. Theyre a great addition the your gear arent they👍🏼
Nice one Simon my barrn owl habitat unfortunately is being turned into a building site not happy but I've learned enough to find new sites and start to scope
Sickening isnt it seeing all the beautiful habitat being torn up and concreted over!! So sad 😫🌲🌳
all that time and effort paid off!
Sure did Richard 👍🏼📷
Nice one simon, barn owls are one of my fav subjects to photograph though not so common up here in Aberdeenshire
They are stunning arent they Norman 👌🏼. Thanks for watching 👍🏼👀
Loved this Simon it's a great location and video thank you (sorry about Amber) absolutely beautiful photos
Thanks Mark and thanks for the kind words 👊🏼
Haven't anything to add to the comments except to say it's a great video and this should help with the Algorythms. Every little helps.
Thanks Alan, cheers for watching👍🏼
Another belting video Pal, great advice and tips gotta love an old post I’ve started collecting all sorts of branches and bits of timber posts the wife’s off mad 😂
Haha, its worth all the effort in the end!! 😆🎄 Thanks for the support 👍🏼
I just found your channel, awesome video, and pictures.
Awesome, thank you Andrew. welcome aboard !!👀👊🏼
Nice to see you got your MoJo back..Keep it up..
Thanks Dennis 👊🏼👌🏼
I believe deer only see in black and white, where as birds see colour. Camo works with birds. Great images and footage.
Thanks for the info and thanks for watching 👀👍🏼
@@simoneardley your welcome.
Love Barn owls great location ad shoot like the static shots best and the diagonal wing stretch in flight ! Autofocus tracking in video would be beyond the Sony A1 in those conditions ! Low light different backgrounds and too many grass heads, you need the bird to run parallel to the fence ideally ! I will have another go at videoing Barn Owls on Salisbury Plain, but you do miss some lovely stills, that's my main issue ! Great video Simon 👍😍
Yeh, my issue as well. You can be waiting for 6-7 hours and only get one pass. What do you go for, stills or video??? Just gotta go back the next day and get more. 👍🏼👀 If I wasn't a vlogger it'd be stills all the way😆
Wonderful footage and images, and I'm so sorry for your loss of Amber. Saw a barn owl myself yesterday but images were rubbish. Thinking of changing to a camera that can achieve focus a lot faster than mine!
Thankyou, doesn't matter that you didn't get any images does it. Just great to see one eh!!👌🏼👀🦉
@@simoneardley You're right, it's always great to see any owl! :)
Great vlog simon. Ive recently started working for an owl charity and we have been putting up lots of barn owl boxes over the last few weeks.. Yesterday I got access to my first bit of private land and its beautiful so your advice will really help :-)
Brilliant Gemma, bet youre buzzing about the permission. A great time of the year as well to start your observations. Good luck and well done on the charity work. 👊🏼👍🏼🦉
@@simoneardley I sure am its a beautiful piece of land Ive already seen a male barn owl when we went to clean a box in the field next door he flew out and straight over to an old barn which we surveyed yesterday and hes using it as a roost so may even get some new barn window shots if im lucky 🙂
Great video and stills, God Bless Amber 😢 x
Thanks Jo and thankyou for your kind words 👊🏼👍🏼
Great video Simon, very helpful to anyone starting out. Hopefully a firmware update on the Z6II will improve the auto focus because it definitely lets the camera down. Sorry to hear about Amber
Yeh its definitely a shortfall. Thanks for the kind words
The real problem are the few volts, 7 v. Compare to Z9, 10.8 v. Every top line from Nikon, Canon or Sony have 10.8 v or more. Sorry for my poor English.
Another great vid Simon just shows what a bit of planning does you got it down to a tee. Cracking pictures mate looks like the 500 pf is paying dividends. Dont know if you have seen it but a guy by the name Barry Mountford done a short video on birds in flight on the Z6II might be worth a look. Sorry to hear about Amber life sucks sometimes. Stay safe mate. 👍
Thanks Graeme, kind words mate. The Z6ii has gone, missing too many shots due to the AF. Saving for a Z9!!
There are Barn owls on a trail I used to walk every day in Burnaby (Canada). You don't have to set anything up, you will see them every time, and they may even fly within inches of your head until you shout them away. ...They're not shy at all. Note: I STOPPED walking the trail because of the owl. lol
Sounds like a great spot for some BIF shots👌🏼
Stunning shots and footage, I have the pro logic suit and love it. I agree you may look silly but then again you shouldn’t be seen 🤣🤣 I have had random dogs start barking at me when they have found me, the owners have said they didn’t see me so that’s fine by me. Thumbs up from me for camo.
Its amazing what you see when youre all cammed up 👀👀👀😆
Stunning bird. I also struggle to get my Z6 II to track. Even with Barn owls against a dark background. We both need to save for Z9s . I'm toying with buying a 500pf. I currently lug around a 600 f4.0 VR and as you found you do notice the weight. I keep hoping Nikon will bring out a 600pf that would sell like hotcakes I'm sure.
Yeh, youre right Tony. Ive sold my Z6ii, sick of the focus issues. Saving for a Z9 currently. Dont think a 600pf is on the cards but I believe theres an 800pf on the horizon👌🏼📷
My utmost condolences to you and your family about the dog. We lost out pet 🐶 Summer and it's hard to get use to not being around.
Thanks NikCan for your kind words 👊🏼