Short-eared Owls

Owl See You at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

By Mia McPherson, on May 6th, 2013%

Female Short-eared Owl and chick at nest

I’ve said before that owls fascinate me; probably more times than I can count, and Short-eared Owls are always a delight. Although I see and photograph Short-eared Owls here in Utah I have had some very special photography sessions with them at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley of Montana. Two summers ago I spotted a mated pair of them not too far from a road with the nest at the base of a Sagebrush. The nest was far enough away from the road that we could photograph them without disturbing the adults or the chicks.

Male Short-eared Owl with Centennial Mountains in the background

The male hunted for his young from the air and when he found prey he would swoop down from the sky and then deliver the prey to the female. He did this many times while observing the Short-eared Owl family. The light was difficult to photograph in which meant I bumped my ISO up higher than I would have liked to get sufficient shutter speed, that left a bit of noise in the background and I applied some noise reduction to it. The Centennial Mountains make for a lovely background.

Male Short-eared Owl with prey for his young

This image shows the male bringing in a vole to his family with the Centennial Mountains in the background, part of the Lower Lake and the grasses below. This male Short-eared Owl seem to be a proficient hunter.

Female Short-eared Owl in a fog

This beautiful female Short-eared Owl who posed in a lake fog was very cooperative and I could have easily filled my CF cards several times in the 13 minutes I had to photograph her. She was close to the edge of the road perched on a fence post in the fog as the sun rose and began to warm the day. It felt magical to be in her presence!

Short-eared Owl with tufts showing

Last year the vole population of the Centennial Valley had crashed and it appeared that many of the Short-eared Owls had moved to more fertile hunting ground. This Short-eared Owl was among the few I saw on the refuge last summer but she sure was a beauty.

Will they be there this year? I don’t know for sure but I certainly hope so.

Mia

Please take a moment to view the proposal for the creation of a Federal Wildlife Conservation Stamp which could provide a robust, parallel revenue stream for National Wildlife Refuges, preserving habitat and wildlife, while giving non-extractive users a funding tool and a stronger voice in habitat and wildlife decisions on our shared, public lands. If you agree it is time for this proposal to come to fruition, please consider backing the effort by joining our “About Us” page as a supporter.

This is a great read about Who Owns the Wildlife? written by John W. Laundré, Cougar Biologist State University of New York at Oswego

More Short-eared Owl images

Isn’t it time for the National Wildlife Refuge System to create a Wildlife Conservation Stamp?

By Mia McPherson, on March 7th, 2013%

Stormy sky over Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana

I am a bird, nature and wildlife photographer. I am a nature lover, a citizen scientist, and a lover of the great outdoors. I am fascinated by insects, vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, topography, geology and the unique environments I see and travel to. I am a star watcher. I am a hunter of knowledge about our natural world and a conservationist. I am an advocate who wants to protect the wildlife habitats that the National Wildlife Refuge system contains.

Welcome to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana

I am also a non-consumptive user of the National Wildlife Refuge system who supports the creation of a Wildlife Conservation Stamp which could provide a revenue stream for the National Wildlife Refuges to preserve and protect the existing 560 wildlife refuges and promote the creation of more.

Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

A 2011 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service counted 71.1 million wildlife watchers in the U.S., and 13.7 million hunters, wildlife watchers and non-consumptive users are increasing whereas the number of hunters are decreasing. The Duck Stamp program can only do so much to provide revenue for the National Wildlife Refuge system and the creation of a Wildlife Refuge Stamp could provide a parallel revenue stream that is needed during this time of budget cuts and austerity.

Pronghorn buck at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

If only a quarter of the 71.1 million wildlife watchers in the U.S. spent $20.00 on a Wildlife Conservation Stamp that could provide a revenue of $568 million dollars. $55 billion dollars each year is spent by wildlife watchers in pursuit of wildlife activities and that is a great benefit to local economies.

Elephant’s Head at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

I am a supporter of the Wildlife Conservation Stamp which could create a community of wildlife watchers, birders, nature photographers, artists and the nature loving general population who share a commitment and passion for wildlife and who want to be proactive in protecting, preserving and maintaining the National Wildlife Refuge System today and for the future for everyone.

Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Many refuges today do not have adequate funds for operational costs that involve maintenance and administration or educational programs. Without adequate funding programs that reduce invasive species suffer, habitats are not restored or maintained, illegal activities such as poaching rise with less staff to go out into the field and wildlife suffers.

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Utah

I do not know why it has taken so long for a Wildlife Conservation Stamp to be created. Isn’t it time? Right now when funding cuts are hitting the refuges hard?

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Utah

The future of our Wildlife Refuges depend on all of us whether we are hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers, birders, nature photographers or nature lovers. A Wildlife Conservation Stamp and the additional revenues could help to save them.

Adult Bald Eagle at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge

Ask birders, photographers, wildlife photographers and wildlife watchers if they think spending $20.00 on a Wildlife Conservation Stamp is too much to help our National Wildlife Refuges and I’m certain that the majority would open their wallets so they can be counted and so their voices can be heard.

Please visit the website for the creation of the Federal Wildlife Conservation Stamp at http://wildlifeconservationstamp.org/the-proposal for more information. If you support the Wildlife Conservation Stamp please leave a comment or send in your bio to the email address on the “About Us” page.

This is a win/win proposal for the National Wildlife Refuge System and for everyone who visits them. For every person who is concerned about the future of out National Wildlife Refuges and for every organization who supports conservation of our public lands and the nation’s wildlife.

Mia

* Think about it, the cost of a Wildlife Conservation Stamp is usually less than the cost of a fast food lunch for a family of four.

A Short-eared Owl in a fog

By Mia McPherson, on February 9th, 2013%

Short-eared Owl in a fog – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited, called in or set up

Isn’t this Short-eared Owl lovely with her big yellow eyes? It had been a while since I had seen a Short-eared Owl and I was quite surprised when I spotted her on top of some snow-covered Rabbitbrush late last month along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park. It was a very foggy morning and the ground was covered in snow, the snow helped to brighten the scene some but I still had to increase my exposure compensation to +1.0 in order to expose her well in camera.

This image may be a bit high key for some people’s tastes but for me this image is a window showing a small portion of this owl’s world.

Mia

More Short-eared Owl images

Goodbye 2012 – Hello 2013

By Mia McPherson, on January 1st, 2013%

A Look Back At 2012

2012 was a fantastic year for me as a photographer and I am looking forward to the joys that 2013 will bring. Happy New Year to all.

Mia

Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

By Mia McPherson, on December 2nd, 2012%

Perched Short-eared Owl – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/800, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or set up

Due to a crash in the vole population at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge last summer there weren’t many Short-eared Owls around the refuge but the few that were there were real beauties.

This female Short-eared Owl was perched on a fence post in the light of the setting sun with a part of the Upper Lake in the background. With the breeze blowing even her short ear tufts were visible.

Mia

More Short-eared Owl images