This Snowy Owl faces a setting sun on the horizon as it takes off.

This brings to an end my Snowy Owl season for 2011-12, and what a fantastic season it was, probably my best ever.

This doesn't mean I won't be posting more photos of my favourite bird - it's just that my photographic attention will be elsewhere in the coming weeks. The ground conditions are getting too difficult for my poor knees and the Snowys will soon be departing for their homes in the arctic.

Canon 7D with the 500L f4 lens handheld @ 1/1000, f4, ISO 400, +2/3 exposure compensation.

Very slight crop to straighten image. A tiny spec of branch clonned away at the bottom centre of the image.

Cheers,

Mike