Short-eared Owl Surveying the Centennial Valley of Montana

Centennial Valley Short-eared Owl – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I haven’t been able to photograph as many Short-eared Owls in Utah this year as I did last year but this species is nomadic and will go to where ever food is plentiful. Where ever the Utah Short-eared Owls are this year I hope they have done well and that there are plenty of young shorties out learning how to fly and hunt. I have thousands of images from these owls from last year I haven’t even processed yet from Utah, Idaho, and Montana.

I photographed this beautiful Short-eared Owl in the Centennial Valley of Montana last year while heading up for my first trip over the Gravelly Range. I couldn’t resist photographing it with the out of focus mountains, sky and valley floor in the distance. And love or hate barbed wire, in this photo the barbed wire reminds me of the curves of roller coasters or the gentle waves on a lake. I think that the owl is so regal it eclipses the man made articles in the frame.

The Short-eared Owl was perched on the post and slowly turned its head to look around as if it was surveying the beauty of the valley it had made its home in. I know whenever I am in the Centennial Valley I am delighted by the beauty there.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Short-eared Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.

I’m getting out of this heat and heading north. If I don’t post just know that I am okay, it just means I have a cruddy cell signal.