Burrowing Owl – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Burrowing Owl Surprise

By Mia McPherson|2021-09-06T03:55:54-05:00November 20th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, autumn, Burrowing Owl, close up, desert island, fall, immature, juvenile, low light, owl, owls, perched, portrait, surprise, Western Burrowing Owl, young|

There are Burrowing Owls on Antelope Island; I've photographed them hundreds of times, but yesterday I spotted one in a location I had never seen one before.

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Burrowing Owls – Most of the Family

By Mia McPherson|2021-11-27T17:09:05-06:00July 28th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: adults, Athene cunicularia, Burrowing Owl, desert island, family, juveniles, owl, owls, perched, sagebrush|

I'm taking a break today from posting photos of my recent trip to southwestern Montana to share an image of a Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) family from here in Utah that I created a few days ago.

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Burrowing Owl Butt Shot!

By Mia McPherson|2021-11-27T16:59:46-06:00July 15th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Humor, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, Burrowing Owl, butt shot, desert island, fledgling, immature, juvenile, owl, owls, wildlife photography, young|

Let's face it some butt shots aren't very pretty but some can be awfully darned cute!

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Adult Burrowing Owl Lift Off

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:13:20-06:00July 14th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adult, Athene cunicularia, bird photography, birding, Burrowing Owl, lift off, owls, sagebrush|

I've been having fun photographing Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) lately and it is a joy to have them in my viewfinder again.

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Burrowing Owls – They Make Me Smile

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:13:22-06:00July 2nd, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, birds of prey, Burrowing Owl, chicks, immature, juveniles, owls, Owls of Utah, sagebrush|

When I photograph Burrowing Owls I can't resist smiling, especially when they are juveniles. Just seeing them makes me grin.

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What Utah birds do when the heat is on…

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:13:24-06:00June 24th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Chukars, Utah|Tags: Alectoris chukar, Athene cunicularia, bird photography, Burrowing Owl, Chukar, heat, hot, owl, owls, upland game birds|

I don't know if the birds think the water of the Great Salt Lake looks refreshing but on a hot day like today I sure do!

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Burrowing Owls – Friday Photos

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-30T10:37:47-05:00April 6th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Antelope Island State Park, Athene cunicularia, bird photography, birding, birds, Burrowing Owl, fledgling, immature, juvenile, nature, Utah, wildlife photography|

I've selected a few Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) images taken a few years ago to post today.

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Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds

By Mia McPherson|2024-03-28T05:14:18-05:00January 25th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Barn Owls, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Brewer's Blackbirds, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Chukars, Common Ravens, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Green-winged Teals, Horned Larks, Killdeer, Long-billed Curlews, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: American Kestrel, American White Pelican, Barn Owl, bird photography, birding, Birds of Antelope Island State Park, Black-billed Magpie, Brewer's Blackbird, Burrowing Owl, California Gull, Chukar, Common Raven, Gray Ghost, Great Horned Owl, Green-winged Teal, Horned Lark, Killdeer, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Harrier, Northern Shoveler, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawk, Sage Thrasher, Western Meadowlark, Willet|

This is the third post in my series about Wild and Wonderful Antelope Island State Park, I've saved the best (and longest) for last. The Birds! Okay, maybe they aren't the best thing about Antelope Island State Park, but I am a bird photographer and they are what I am most passionate about!

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Juvenile Burrowing Owl Portrait

By Mia McPherson|2021-01-05T16:15:32-06:00January 17th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, bird photography, birding, birds, Burrowing Owl, immature, juvenile, nature photography, portrait, wildlife, wildlife photography|

Burrowing Owls are beautiful birds with lemony yellow eyes, downy soft feathers and subtle coloration. It's hard to believe that they aren't that much different in size from an American Robin.

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Juvenile Burrowing Owls – Friday Photos

By Mia McPherson|2021-09-06T04:21:58-05:00November 25th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, Burrowing Owl, clowns, comical, desert island, funny, immature, juvenile, juveniles, owl, owlets, owls, pair, stretching, wing lift|

I adore Burrowing Owls, especially the juveniles because they can be funny, serious looking, comical and at times they act like clowns.

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Sequel to: Burrowing Owls – Loved to Death?

By Mia McPherson|2019-09-03T17:33:31-05:00September 11th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Harassment, Nesting Birds, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, bird photography, birds, Burrowing Owl, field ethics, harassment, nest failure, nesting birds, owls|

Earlier this year in March I wrote an article titled "Burrowing Owls - Loved to Death?" and this post is a sequel to it.

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Friday Photos – Juvenile Burrowing Owl

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:14:31-06:00August 5th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, Burrowing Owl, immature, juvenile, nature, owl, owls, Western Burrowing Owl, young|

I just adore Burrowing Owls, especially the juveniles because they seem to be more animated than the adults.

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Burrowing Owls – Loved to Death?

By Mia McPherson|2021-11-27T17:05:17-06:00March 14th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Harassment, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette|Tags: adult, Athene cunicularia, Burrowing Owl, flight, juveniles, nature, owl, owls, perched, wildlife ethics|

What made me sick was that there were three of those people tromping around the owl's burrow. I mean RIGHT up on it. They had no need to be that close but they were.

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So ya think ya want to be a bird photographer?

By Mia McPherson|2021-09-16T13:47:02-05:00February 8th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Humor, Loggerhead Shrikes, Montana, Northern Harriers, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Semipalmated Plovers, Snowy Egrets, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Willets|Tags: Athene cunicularia, bird humor, bird photography, birding, Burrowing Owl, Buteo swainsoni, Charadrius semipalmatus, Circus hudsonius, Egretta thula, Gray Ghost, humor, Lanius ludovicianus, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Harrier, Semipalmated Plover, Snowy Egret, Swainson's Hawk, Tringa semipalmata, Willet|

Be prepared to become addicted to birds. You will have withdrawals if you don't shoot often enough, your shutter button finger will develop a nervous twitch

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Hidden Treasures

By Mia McPherson|2017-10-11T06:07:58-05:00December 24th, 2010|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Glacier County, Gray Partridges, Least Bitterns, Montana, Roosevelt Wetlands, Tricolored Herons, Utah|Tags: Athene cunicularia, bird ID, Burrowing Owl, Egretta tricolor, Gray Partridge, herons, hidden, Ixobrychus exilis, Least Bittern, owls, Perdix perdix, Tricolored Heron|

As a bird photographer I often strive for images where the subjects are out in the open, without distractions in the fore or background, but as with any photographic "rule", they are made to be broken.

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Adult Burrowing Owl blur

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:15:03-06:00December 11th, 2010|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: Antelope Island State Park, Athene cunicularia, birding, birds, blur, Burrowing Owl, low light, nature, owl, owls, Utah, wildlife|

This blur was not intentional, but I do like the effect caused by the head of the Burrowing Owl spinning. Makes me dizzy just viewing the photo!

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Adult Burrowing Owls

By Mia McPherson|2021-09-06T04:16:31-05:00November 23rd, 2010|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adults, Athene cunicularia, bird ID, bird photography, birds of prey, Burrowing Owl, desert island, funny, juveniles, owl, owls|

I felt it was time to put the beauty of the adult Burrowing Owls in the limelight.

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Burrowing Owl juveniles

By Mia McPherson|2022-05-20T08:50:34-05:00August 16th, 2010|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette|Tags: adult, Athene cunicularia, Burrowing Owl, desert island, funny, grooming, immature, juvenile, juveniles, owl, owls, parallaxing, photography, preening, silly, summer, yawning|

If you have never had the opportunity to photograph Burrowing Owl juveniles I would suggest you find a burrow and be prepared to laugh yourself silly.

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