A lesser spotted owl ... well, can you see it?
DON’T feel like too much of a to-wit if you can’t see the owl hidden in this tree.
The perfectly camouflaged bird of prey’s feathers blend seamlessly with the bark.
And the African scops owl, a small species found only in sub-Saharan Africa, is almost impossible to spot as it sits perfectly still on a branch. The images were captured by safari guide Roan du Plessis, 26, at Beyond’s Ngala Safari Lodge, a private game reserve in South Africa where he lives and works. Roan took the photos to show visitors how skilled the lodge’s trackers were.
He said: ‘I take guests on luxury safaris for a living. The opportunities for capturing amazing photos are endless. I wanted to demonstrate how incredible the trackers are at spotting animals.
‘I like the composition and colours and how it demonstrates the potential camouflage of these vulnerable predators. It’s not unlikely that I would be able to take more photos like this as this is typical behaviour for the scops owl. That is, of course, if we can find them.’