Photographer’s incredible shot reveals sneaky Great Grey Owl peaking out from a fir tree 

A photographer has revealed how he was ‘overwhelmed’ and could ‘hardly contain his excitement’ after he stumbled upon a sneaky Great Grey Owl.

Kevin Lippe, 44, nearly missed the opportunity to capture his incredible shot when looking for owls in Kamloops, British Columbia.

But after spotting a stray feather nearby, eagle-eyed Kevin then noticed the single eye looking straight at him. 

At first glance, Mr Lippe’s picture appears to show nothing more than an intricate rock face but after a closer look a beady eye can be seen peering out. 

The owl’s dark feathers almost perfectly match the tree making it the perfect spot for a bird to nest and keep out of the view of passersby. 

Mr Lippe said: ‘While out in search of some owls, I came across a grey feather stuck to the side of a large decaying fir tree.

‘As I scanned the tree closer with my camera, I noticed the bright yellow eye of a Great Grey Owl looking back at me through the fingers of bark.

‘I realised then that I had just discovered a nesting owl. I was completely overwhelmed with my discovery and could hardly contain my excitement.’ 

The Great Grey Owl is documented as the world’s largest species of owl by length and lives in the Northern Hemisphere.

Mr Lippe, pictured, said he noticed a feather in the tree first before spotting the bright yellow eye of the owl

The birds can be elusive and have earned themselves the nickname of ‘ghosts of the forest’, reports OPB.

It has a round head, yellow eyes and a black-and-white ‘bow tie’ while its fluffy grey plumage is covered with brown and white flecks, reports Canada Geographic. 

This is not the first time Mr Lippe has captured a stunning shot of birds in the wild.

Earlier this year the photographer shot the moment two birds tried to steal a dead vole. The pictures were taken in Edison, Washington,USA.