I know this is not a good photo but these owls are highly elusive. They are just so small (think slightly larger than a House Sparrow). They are day time hunters but anything this small goes easily unnoticed. The problems with the photo are not due to the camera or the lens. Conditions were extremely overcast and about half an hour from sunset. Shutter speed was 1/6th of a second at f/8 (lowest aperture I can go with the 1.4X TC connected)