Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: concentration

It feels quite strange to be able to post any photos, but it sure feels good : ) After being without a computer for four days, I collected my old and new machines and, to my horror, discovered that there was not a single one of my thousands of photos on my new computer! The word "deleted" flashed through my mind and it wasn't till later yesterday that I was finally able to check my old computer to see if my photos were still on it. Relief flooded through me and I could physically feel my stress level plunge, lol. It took one and a half days of crawling under my computer table to plug and unplug the ever-growing tangle of cords to reach the point where I could actually use my old computer. What a nightmare! To say that I am not impressed with the service I got from the store this week is an understatement. Six years ago, the same people had done such a great job of transferring all the data from an old to a new computer, which is why I went back to them. However, now that the weekend is over and the store will be open again, I have to phone them and ask why they didn't transfer all my images. Tomorrow, I have minor surgery, so all this was supposed to have been done by now, so that I could spend my recovery time editing photos, learning Windows 7, etc.. I knew I would not be able to take or collect the heavy, awkward to carry hard drives or be bending and stretching under my desk for a while, so I am really annoyed, to say the least. For now, though, I am SO relieved that I was finally able to get the new monitor hooked up to the old computer, so that it works. Of course, someone who knows everything about computers would have solved all this many hours sooner : ) This is one of the photos I took a week ago, on 17 February 2014, in Fish Creek Park, in Calgary. We don't get Great Gray Owls within the city, so this beautiful bird has been such a rare treat. A few weeks ago, we were photographing another Great Gray Owl in Griffith Woods, again within city limits. Strange how this has happened - maybe there is just too much deep snow in the countryside and maybe a hard crust has developed, making it too difficult for the owls to find food? As you can tell, this owl is focused on hunting. They are so fascinating to watch - their concentration is amazing.

A photo of a beautiful Great Gray Owl from my archives, taken on 25 June 2012, on a drive NW of Calgary. They have tremendous concentration, barely taking their tiny eyes off the ground when they are in hunting mode. "The owl has been called a wise bird for the same reason that some men are thought to be wise — he looks wise. One reason he looks so steadily at you that you think he is studying you is because the light is so strong in the daytime that his sight is bad. But the owl is not as wise as he is said to be." From www.birdnature.com/feb1899/owls.html "In ancient Greece, owls were associated with Athena, the goddess of wisdom. She was thought to be accompanied by one at all times, and owls eventually gained their own reputation based on their connection with the goddess a myth that continues to this day. There is also the common belief that owls simply "look" smart! Unlike most birds, owl eyes are placed on the front of their heads (versus on the sides) to help them focus on prey when hunting. This wide-eyed glance gives them the impression of thinking really hard when, in reality, they are most likely just thinking about their next meal!" From www.whyzz.com/why-do-people-think-owls-are-smart

As you can tell by the lush green surroundings, this is not a new photo, but one that I took back in June : ) I tend to post closer shots than this, but I thought it was kind of nice to see a bit of the area which this Great Gray Owl called/calls "home". This fence and post were right by the road : ) The only thing of interest for this Owl was watching intensely for "food" - not a bit concerned that I was there.

This gorgeous Great Gray Owl was perched just above one of the massive, iron gates that leads into the Owl aviary at the Calgary Zoo. As each Zoo visitor opened the gate and entered the aviary, this owl would turn its head and peer downwards, watching all the movement. I really like the feather pattern around those amazing, piercing eyes. No matter how many times I see these owls, I am always in complete awe when I am lucky enough to be standing so close with nothing between the two of us. This species of owl tends to be quite approachable in the wild in Alberta. It is the largest owl in Alberta, but the Snowy Owl and Great Horned Owls are heavier.