{"id":17816,"date":"2014-12-17T18:28:59","date_gmt":"2014-12-18T01:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=17816"},"modified":"2024-10-06T07:17:46","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T12:17:46","slug":"winter-barn-owl-on-a-gray-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/12\/17\/winter-barn-owl-on-a-gray-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter American Barn Owl On A Gray Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Still waiting for snow here in the Salt Lake Valley so I am posting another snowy image of an American Barn Owl taken in December of 2013.<\/p>\n

\"WinterAmerican winter Barn Owl on a gray day – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/640, ISO 640, +2.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A few days ago there was a dusting of snow on the ground when I woke up but it didn’t take long for that to melt away unlike past years where it took days; sometimes even weeks, for the snow to melt away. The last part of December in 2013 was like that where the snow stayed for weeks and the birds were far more visible.<\/p>\n

There was a period of time where the winter conditions were so bad that the American Barn Owls had to hunt during the day to consume enough to survive because the snow was so thick on the ground that it made it hard for the owls to see or hear their prey and the temps were bitter cold. I always feel bad for them when conditions are so brutal.<\/p>\n

This American Barn Owl stayed in this location for 19 minutes before it flew to another location to search for prey.<\/p>\n

\"CloseClose up of an American Barn Owl – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/500, ISO 640, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

The American Barn Owl missed the prey and took shelter in a thick stand of snow-covered phragmites. I left the owl so it could rest.<\/p>\n

Yeah, I do feel bad for them when they have to struggle so hard to just stay alive.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to view more of my American Barn Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Still waiting for snow here in the Salt Lake Valley so I am posting another snowy image of a Barn Owl taken in December of 2013. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129,27,697,26],"tags":[4004,3985,4142,156,4094,3967,294,4050,4328,49,4095,373],"class_list":["post-17816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-barn-owls","category-avian","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-barn-owl","tag-close-up","tag-low-light-2","tag-marsh","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-snow","tag-snowy","tag-tyto-furcata","tag-wetlands","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/barn-owl-snowy-mia-mcpherson-1891.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-4Dm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":50197,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/12\/24\/barn-owl-in-a-winter-white-out\/","url_meta":{"origin":17816,"position":0},"title":"American Barn Owl in a Winter White Out","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Four years ago I photographed a American Barn Owl in a winter white out at Farmington Bay WMA and I have to admit that photographing it was tough.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl in a snow-covered marsh, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-mia-mcpherson-2061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-mia-mcpherson-2061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-mia-mcpherson-2061.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-mia-mcpherson-2061.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7237,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/24\/barn-owl-on-a-foggy-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":17816,"position":1},"title":"American Barn Owl On A Foggy Morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 24, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl in flight on a foggy morning at Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-4086.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-4086.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-4086.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-4086.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12276,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/12\/24\/barn-owl-on-a-snowbank\/","url_meta":{"origin":17816,"position":2},"title":"American Barn Owl On A Snowbank","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 24, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I spotted this beautiful American Barn Owl on a snow bank yesterday along the side of a dirt road at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl in winter marsh habitat, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-1615.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-1615.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-1615.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-1615.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49316,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/11\/06\/bear-river-mbr-barn-owls-in-flight-all-small-in-the-frame\/","url_meta":{"origin":17816,"position":3},"title":"Bear River MBR American Barn Owls in Flight – All Small in the Frame","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"By having the American Barn Owls smaller in the frame in my photos I can share more visual information about where these beautiful owls live, hunt and thrive.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Foggy, snowy American Barn Owl in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7122,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/14\/barn-owls-and-harsh-winters\/","url_meta":{"origin":17816,"position":4},"title":"American Barn Owls and Harsh Winters","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"American Barn Owls are typically strictly nocturnal but during harsh winters with lots of snow they do hunt during the day here in Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl flying over a marsh in winter, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flight-winter-snowy-mia-mcpherson-9479.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flight-winter-snowy-mia-mcpherson-9479.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flight-winter-snowy-mia-mcpherson-9479.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flight-winter-snowy-mia-mcpherson-9479.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7499,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/02\/11\/more-barn-owl-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":17816,"position":5},"title":"More American Barn Owl images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Perched American Barn Owl images might not be as dynamic as those when the owl's are in flight but I enjoy them just as much as I do those with more action.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl flying close up, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flying-mia-mcpherson-9462.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flying-mia-mcpherson-9462.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flying-mia-mcpherson-9462.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-owl-flying-mia-mcpherson-9462.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17816\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}