Currently throughout the breeding range of Great Horned Owls the owls have either begun to nest or have nested already. Great Horned Owls have a large range and are found in the U.S., Canada and Central America.
Fog can add a moody feel to images and yesterday there was plenty of fog at Farmington Bay WMA. There were a few Barn Owls hunting for food and I captured images of this one as it flew towards me.
A wonderful fun-filled day with great companionship and plenty of birds. I can't ask for more.
I photographed this perched Barn Owl yesterday at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah near a hill that was covered in snow which gave this image a high key effect.
American Barn Owls are typically strictly nocturnal but during harsh winters with lots of snow they do hunt during the day here in Utah.
This fledgling Burrowing Owl was just learning to fly at the time and wasn't always great at landing. When I took this image it had made a soft crash landing into the Rabbitbrush and it was trying to get its balance back.
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.
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.
Just a few images from this past week.
I don't always get what I want though; for example, I wanted this male Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) I photographed at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Montana in good light.
Fluffy Great Horned Owl fledgling + knotty weathered wood + large yellow eyes = Wonderful!
This Short-eared Owl image was taken just a little over a year ago in Glacier County, Montana. I still remember how cooperative this male was, the gorgeous golden light of the setting sun and the great location.
I should mention that not all of the Burrowing Owls from this family are shown in this frame, there are possibly 4 more owlets that aren't perched on the sagebrush
This male Short-eared Owl in evening light was photographed last year in Glacier County, Montana not too long before the sun set.
Let's face it some butt shots aren't very pretty but some can be awfully darned cute!
I've been having fun photographing Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) lately and it is a joy to have them in my viewfinder again.
When I photograph Burrowing Owls I can't resist smiling, especially when they are juveniles. Just seeing them makes me grin.
I don't know if the birds think the water of the Great Salt Lake looks refreshing but when the heat is on like today, I sure do!
I've selected a few Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) images taken a few years ago to post today.
In early spring after American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) chicks have hatched there are opportunities here in Utah to see the adult owls hunting just after dawn breaks.
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.
I'm excited that two Great Horned Owls are using the same roosting location on Antelope Island.
I adore Burrowing Owls, especially the juveniles because they can be funny, serious looking, comical and at times they act like clowns.
My favorite name for Great Horned Owls is "The Tiger of the Sky" and it is very descriptive of this large, fierce owl.
Earlier this year in March I wrote an article titled "Burrowing Owls - Loved to Death?" and this post is a sequel to it.
I am always looking for the unexpected birds to show up in locations where I might not expect them them to be and this Short-eared Owl was a bit of a nice surprise.
This is probably one of the moments where the juvenile Burrowing Owl looked more serious than at other times.
I really, really, really wish these young American Barn Owls had been perched on something that looked more natural than old bent metal with droppings all over it
Soon after that I saw the shape of a larger bird near where the Coyote had gone into the sagebrush which turned out to be an adult Short-eared Owl.
The grasses are beginning to turn golden with the summer heat, the Moth Mulleins are starting to bloom and the Great Salt Lake level is still rising from spring run off.