{"id":39733,"date":"2016-05-26T04:14:26","date_gmt":"2016-05-26T10:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=39733"},"modified":"2024-09-02T05:05:30","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T10:05:30","slug":"low-light-female-short-eared-owl-blur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/26\/low-light-female-short-eared-owl-blur\/","title":{"rendered":"Low Light Female Short-eared Owl Blur"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FemaleFemale Short-eared Owl Blur – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/80, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Before the sun came up three days ago and before I photographed the Short-eared Owls chicks<\/span><\/a> I had an opportunity to photograph a female owl perched on a fence post. I wasn’t even prepared to photograph yet, I didn’t have my Noodle on the window.<\/p>\n

I had left my camera set on my default ISO of 400 which I knew would give me very slow shutter speeds in the low light but I didn’t know if she would fly away so I took a chance that I might get a few sharp images or maybe even a blurry one that I liked.<\/p>\n

I was only able to take 35 images of the female Short-eared Owl before she took off and once I hit the shutter button I didn’t stop to raise my ISO to increase my shutter speed because she was rousing and I didn’t want to miss that.<\/p>\n

Once she flew off and the sun came up I almost forgot about the very early shots of her until I loaded the files onto my hard drive and started viewing them. I was right, some of the images of her were a mess but when I got to this frame I just had to laugh.<\/p>\n

Her head and face were sharp, the perch was sharp but everything between her head and the post was a twisty blur. I still can’t figure out how she kept her head still while she shook and roused so vigorously.<\/p>\n

I know that blurs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but I have grown quite fond of this beautiful, shaking, Short-eared Owl blur.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good, it is even better with laughter.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

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

I know that blurs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but I have grown quite fond of this beautiful, shaking, Short-eared Owl blur. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":133599,"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":[27,1148,130,26],"tags":[4004,4114,2663,4042,4098,4070,156,3967,294,11852,3199,4502,3971,165],"class_list":["post-39733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-short-eared-owls","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-asio-flammeus","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-blur","tag-desert","tag-female","tag-low-light-2","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-ranchlands","tag-rousing","tag-shaking","tag-short-eared-owl","tag-spring"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/short-eared-owl-blur-mia-mcpherson-2564.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-akR","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45243,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/26\/nomadic-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":39733,"position":0},"title":"Nomadic Short-eared Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Short-eared Owls are nomadic because they follow their main prey which is voles and if the vole population is low the Short-eared Owl density will also be low.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Short-eared Owl chick in early morning light, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39425,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/13\/short-eared-owls-nomadic-and-enchanting\/","url_meta":{"origin":39733,"position":1},"title":"Short-eared Owls – Nomadic and Enchanting","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This year I've seen far more Short-eared Owls in Utah than I have since I moved here in 2009 and I've been enjoying photographing these nomadic and enchanting owls for over a month.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Short-eared Owl basking in sunlight, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45995,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/05\/cinnamon-teal-short-eared-owl-red-tailed-hawk\/","url_meta":{"origin":39733,"position":2},"title":"Cinnamon Teal, Short-eared Owl & Red-Tailed Hawk – A Nice Mixture of Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"It felt great to photograph a nice mixture of birds yesterday and and to be out enjoying the beautiful scenery of northern Utah. Life is good.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sleepy Short-eared Owl male, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-sleepy-mia-mcpherson-3622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-sleepy-mia-mcpherson-3622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-sleepy-mia-mcpherson-3622.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-sleepy-mia-mcpherson-3622.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38896,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/27\/the-day-my-short-eared-owl-obsession-began\/","url_meta":{"origin":39733,"position":3},"title":"The Day My Short-eared Owl Obsession Began","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Six years ago today I photographed my first Short-eared Owl in low light at Bear River MBR and it was the day my obsession and fascination with these beautiful owls began.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Short-eared Owl with a green field, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-grassy-field-mia-mcpherson-9185.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-grassy-field-mia-mcpherson-9185.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-grassy-field-mia-mcpherson-9185.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-grassy-field-mia-mcpherson-9185.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13721,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/01\/20\/short-eared-owls-photographed-in-fog-and-evening-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":39733,"position":4},"title":"Short-eared Owls photographed in fog and evening light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Both images are appealing to me because I enjoy the foggy softness of the female Short-eared Owl image and the warm, golden tones of the male Short-eared Owl photo.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Short-eared Owl photographed in a lake fog","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/short-eared-owl-female-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8624.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/short-eared-owl-female-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8624.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/short-eared-owl-female-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8624.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6124,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/09\/16\/male-short-eared-owl-in-low-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":39733,"position":5},"title":"Male Short-eared Owl in low light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Short-eared Owl in flight, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-mia-mcpherson-redited-8732.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-mia-mcpherson-redited-8732.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-mia-mcpherson-redited-8732.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-mia-mcpherson-redited-8732.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\/39733","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=39733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39733\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}