{"id":37907,"date":"2016-04-05T05:19:11","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T11:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=37907"},"modified":"2026-04-26T09:18:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T14:18:05","slug":"more-owls-turkey-vultures-plus-a-third-year-bald-eagle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/05\/more-owls-turkey-vultures-plus-a-third-year-bald-eagle\/","title":{"rendered":"More Owls, Turkey Vultures Plus A Third Year Bald Eagle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BoxBox Elder County Burrowing Owl pair \u2013 Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/320, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I mentioned in my post about Short-eared Owls<\/a><\/span> yesterday that I saw Burrowing Owls, Turkey Vultures and a third year Bald Eagle juvenile in northern Utah so I thought I would share a few more images from my northern Utah excursion.<\/p>\n

The first birds I photographed were this pair of Burrowing Owls I located at the opening of their burrow. It was early in the morning, the grass around the burrow still had dew on it and the owls didn’t come up much further than this. It was great finding them though, they blend in so well in their habitat.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Short-eared Owl in profile – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Then after the Burrowing Owls I spent time photographing Short-eared Owls including this one on an old wooden post.<\/p>\n

\"Short-earedShort-eared Owl lifting off to dive on prey – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Until he lifted of to dive on prey which he missed. I love how his talons haven’t left the post yet though I do wish he was looking a bit more towards me.<\/p>\n

Further down the road I did see my first of the year Osprey on a power pole. It seemed such an odd place to find an Osprey but they are migrating so not seeing them near freshwater probably isn’t all that unusual. The photos I took of it weren’t the best given how far away it was but seeing was a joy.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture thermoregulation posture – Nikon D810, f6.1, 1\/1600, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

There were plenty of Turkey Vultures around and catching this one sunning itself on a lichen covered boulder was nice. Turkey Vultures warm up by using thermoregulation and this spread wing posture exposes it more fully to the sun.<\/p>\n

\"YawningYawning Turkey Vulture – Nikon D810, f9, 1\/800, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

The Turkey Vulture also preened, roused and yawned while I photographed it. They might not be pretty but I sure appreciate vultures for cleaning up the environment.<\/p>\n

\"ThirdThird year Bald Eagle juvenile in Box Elder County – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

And then there was this third year Bald Eagle juvenile also perched on a lichen covered boulder while much higher up a marmot’s shrill whistle let every other marmot nearby know that the eagle was there.<\/p>\n

It was a wonderful, birdy trip to northern Utah and I hope to head that way again soon!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my bird photos in their galleries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I mentioned in my post about Short-eared Owls yesterday that I saw Burrowing Owls, Turkey Vultures and a third year Bald Eagle juvenile in northern Utah so I thought I would share a few more images form the northern Utah excursion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":156460,"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":[151,27,1148,130,1315,26],"tags":[5038,4114,55,846,4214,4322,4152,2139,8552,8551,3971,5039,5036,5035,5037,2443],"class_list":["post-37907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bald-eagle","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-short-eared-owls","category-turkey-vultures","category-utah","tag-age-progression","tag-asio-flammeus","tag-athene-cunicularia","tag-bald-eagle","tag-burrowing-owl","tag-cathartes-aura","tag-haliaeetus-leucocephalus","tag-pair","tag-preened","tag-roused","tag-short-eared-owl","tag-spread-wing-posture","tag-sunning","tag-thermoregulation","tag-third-year","tag-turkey-vulture"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bald-eagle-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-2806.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-9Rp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37862,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/04\/northern-utah-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":37907,"position":0},"title":"Northern Utah Short-eared Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday it was the northern Utah Short-eared Owls that made me so very glad that I am a bird photographer and that for a little while I am part of their world.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tumbleweeds with Short-eared Owl, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/short-eared-owl-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-2009.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/short-eared-owl-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-2009.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/short-eared-owl-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-2009.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/short-eared-owl-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-2009.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39498,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/15\/burrowing-and-short-eared-owls-in-may\/","url_meta":{"origin":37907,"position":1},"title":"Burrowing and Short-eared Owls in May – Satisfying my Owl Obsession","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I am thoroughly enjoying photographing Burrowing and Short-eared Owls in May and satisfying my owl obsession.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sunrise adult Burrowing Owl male, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51259,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/03\/16\/looking-for-burrowing-and-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":37907,"position":2},"title":"Looking For Burrowing And Short-eared Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm getting ansty for spring migration and for the birds that it will bring including Burrowing and Short-eared Owls which I always look forward to photographing here in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Burrowing Owl on a May morning, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-2869.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-2869.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-2869.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-2869.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44163,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/31\/looking-at-2016-in-the-rear-view-mirror-or-my-photographic-year-in-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":37907,"position":3},"title":"Looking at 2016 in the Rear View Mirror or My Photographic Year in Review","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Wow, today is the last day of the year 2016. This is my photographic year in review from Utah, Idaho and Montana!","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":"Close up of leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in flight, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35067,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/01\/22\/winter-burrowing-owls-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":37907,"position":4},"title":"Winter Burrowing Owls on Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It was the first of the winter Burrowing Owls I was to find yesterday while on Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Back lit Burrowing Owl in winter on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-5674.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46372,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/19\/mated-pair-of-burrowing-owls-on-a-grassy-hill\/","url_meta":{"origin":37907,"position":5},"title":"Mated Pair of Burrowing Owls on a Grassy Hill","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I did spot something at that badger burrow on the grassy hill that I have been watching for so long and it was a mated pair of Burrowing Owls!","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Burrowing Owls on a grassy hill, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/burrowing-owls-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-8934.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/burrowing-owls-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-8934.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/burrowing-owls-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-8934.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/burrowing-owls-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-8934.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\/37907","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=37907"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175296,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37907\/revisions\/175296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}