An American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) camouflaged amongst reeds and cattails at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Montana.
A Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The genus name "Strix" is Greek and means owl and the species name "nebulosa" has it's origin in Latin and translates to misty or obscure. The Great Gray Owl is like a phantom and most people including myself have brief dawn and dusk fleeting opportunities to view these magnificent raptors. I captured this portrait when he flew across the meadow and literally landed right beside me.
