Owl on a Gnarled Branch under the Moon

A tawny owl perches on a gnarled branch beneath a large full moon. Fine feathers catch the silver light, while autumn leaves and distant treetops fill the deep blue sky. The branch crosses the frame with a strong dark shape below the bird.

Begin with the owl's eyes and facial disks, then sort feathers by their bands and warm brown patches. The moon gives the upper corner a simple circular group. Follow the branch from the trunk to its thinner twigs, leaving the dark sky for the end.