Male Short-eared Owl flying in front of a stormy sky – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
I have tons of Short-eared Owl photos where the owls are much larger in the frame than this one is yet this photo and another one I took of this male in flight with a stormy sky in the background remain some of my favorites of this species.
I like that the adult male Short-eared Owl is small in this frame because this is often the view that I and others have of these wonderful owls in the field. With my naked eyes this owl was simply a small speck in the sky.
This male and its mate chased a coyote away from their nest site just a few minutes before I took this photo and when she went back to the nest the male flew into the sky until the storm clouds to the north were behind him. The male owl seemed to glow against the darker sky and clouds.
Looking at this photo also reminded me that cloudy skies aren’t always a bad thing when photographing birds. The storm clouds added drama that wouldn’t be there of this had been a plain blue sky.
This isn’t the kind of Short-eared Owl image you’ll see in a bird guide but when you are looking for these owls in the field sometimes a view like this is all you will get.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Short-eared Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.
Appreciate hearing about the activities in the field!
This is definitely a most dramatic image — especially so with the backstory. Thank you for sharing both.
I am pretty certain that my eyes would not have been able to identify the owl – and glad yours could.
And I do love a stormy sky.
I like it too. I reminds me of how I like my solitude when in nature. I don’t hike and walk alone out in the backwoods as much as I use to, you know getting older stuff, but I still take short hikes and excursions alone, it is some of my favorite time. Often I will sit and watch a bird flying like the owl in your photos and imagine it is me, how the wind feels on my face and between my feathers, how to tilt my tail just so for a slight shift in angle or a slight uplift adjustment in my primaries…..
Owls, wonderful creatures.