[photoshop-beginners] Extraction method?

Hello everyone!
I have put up three images of an owl on a picasa site to show you.

http://tinyurl.com/ykmdhms

My question is: What extraction method do you all think would be the most successful way of isolating and removing this owl?  I have 200 pics to do.  I have messed with the extraction under filter, but do not seem to do well with it.  I want all the fine feathers and probably the branch he is sitting on.

My end result is to be a flip book (the old fashion kind) depicting
the owl's head moving.

Adobe Photoshop CS
MacBook  OS 10.4.11 Intel Core 2
Duo 2 GHz  Memory:1 GB

Not necessary to read this but will explain (maybe) what I have already tried to do ..........unsuccessfully.   I took Owl pic #1 and #2 into Photoshop and then placed Owl pic #2  over Owl #1 (layers) then changed the opacity of Owl #2  to move it to the proper registration point, owl over owl, but found that moved all the branches out of place. And then I have to do a mess of environmental cloning around the owl to rebuild that section.
 
Do you think this may be a better approach:  Extract each owl from the background and choose just one background. The reason for the background to remain the same throughout is so when the pages are flipped the branches aren't blowing in the breeze (so to speak) along with the head turning. 
Sally



--
Nous connaîtrions-nous seulement un peu nous-mêmes, sans les arts?
Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?
                                                              Gabrielle Roy (1909-1983)
http://www.sallythibault.com
Vinalhaven Island Memories 1950 - 1990
Maine Coast, USA

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