{"id":54767,"date":"2018-10-25T06:11:02","date_gmt":"2018-10-25T12:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=54767"},"modified":"2025-06-15T13:58:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T18:58:38","slug":"feathers-fur-short-eared-owl-shaking-brewers-blackbird-and-a-curious-long-tailed-weasel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/10\/25\/feathers-fur-short-eared-owl-shaking-brewers-blackbird-and-a-curious-long-tailed-weasel\/","title":{"rendered":"Feathers & Fur – Short-eared Owl, Shaking Brewer’s Blackbird and a Curious Long-tailed Weasel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Short-earedShort-eared Owl in flight over a marsh – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent a little while at Farmington Bay WMA<\/span><\/a> yesterday morning and although it seemed fairly slow bird wise I was able to get a few bird photos that I liked and one Long-tailed Weasel too. The best bird for me was seeing a Short-eared Owl in flight over the marsh. I hadn’t seen a short-eared owl there in quite a few years. Even though the owl was some distance from me I liked how the colors in the background echoed some of the colors in the plumage of the owl.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Brewer’s Blackbird shaking after a bath – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there were Brewer’s Blackbirds… This time of the year they are often found in large flocks and that was the case yesterday, some were perched on electrical wires, some on fence posts and trees, some were walking around on the ground and a few were bathing at the edge of a pond. When the Brewer’s Blackbirds were finished bathing it seemed like they preferred to finish off their baths with shaking and preening by flying up to the fence posts and wires. I took a lot of photos of two males and one female Brewer’s Blackbirds shaking and preening and I was able to capture some interesting poses. I’ll do a separate post with more of those photos another time.<\/p>\n

Even with a shutter speed of 1\/2500 I wasn’t able to freeze the motion of this Brewer’s Blackbird’s wings and tail feathers but I sure liked its pose and the action.<\/p>\n

\"CuriousCurious Long-tailed Weasel close up in poor light – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light,<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there was a Long-tailed Weasel in poor lighting conditions but I had to take photos of it because I don’t see them all that often. The weasel sure seemed curious because it kept running towards the “mobile blind” then leaping away and then back again. Oh how I wish I would have been able to photograph this weasel in better light yesterday. These creatures fascinate me.<\/p>\n

So it wasn’t a great morning but it wasn’t all that bad either because I was able to focus on a Short-eared Owl, Brewer’s Blackbirds and one curious Long-tailed Weasel.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Short-eared Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Brewer’s Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

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

So it wasn’t a great morning but it wasn’t all that bad either because I was able to focus on a Short-eared Owl, Brewer’s Blackbirds and one curious Long-tailed Weasel. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":148686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,420,1022,697,1157,130,26],"tags":[4004,4114,5109,3813,3483,4142,6010,898,4052,4122,2416,4062,4094,1162,3967,294,4046,4394,4502,3971,2774,2775,8917],"class_list":["post-54767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-brewers-blackbirds","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-long-tailed-weasels","category-short-eared-owls","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-asio-flammeus","tag-bath","tag-blackbird","tag-blackbirds","tag-close-up","tag-curious","tag-fence-post","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-long-tailed-weasel","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-neogale-frenata","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-portrait","tag-post","tag-shaking","tag-short-eared-owl","tag-weasel","tag-weasels","tag-wooden-post"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-3026.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-efl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45995,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/05\/cinnamon-teal-short-eared-owl-red-tailed-hawk\/","url_meta":{"origin":54767,"position":0},"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":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":54767,"position":1},"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":15063,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/05\/28\/male-short-eared-owl-in-evening-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":54767,"position":2},"title":"Male Short-eared Owl In Evening Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The nicknames for Short-eared Owls are many and include Evening Owl, Mouse-hawk, Marsh Owl, Bog Owl and Flat-faced Owl but I just call them Shorties in the field.","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 evening light in flight over a marsh, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-flight-mia-mcpherson-8254.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-flight-mia-mcpherson-8254.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-flight-mia-mcpherson-8254.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/short-eared-owl-male-flight-mia-mcpherson-8254.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51497,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/04\/03\/photos-of-owls-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":54767,"position":3},"title":"Photos Of Owls In Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I spend a lot of time in the field looking for, observing and photographing owls and obtaining photos of them in flight can often be frustrating when I have the opportunity but very fulfilling when I accomplish my goal.","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":"Focused flight of a juvenile Burrowing Owl, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-flight-mia-mcpherson-0758.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-juvenile-flight-mia-mcpherson-0758.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-flight-mia-mcpherson-0758.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-flight-mia-mcpherson-0758.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":106437,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/09\/22\/long-tailed-weasel-close-up-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":54767,"position":4},"title":"Long-tailed Weasel Close Up Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I am thrilled to share these Long-tailed Weasel photos taken on the last full day of summer at Farmington Bay WMA which are all thanks to a Rock Wren.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Long-tailed Weasel portrait on the last day of summer, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/long-tailed-weasel-and-rock-mia-mcpherson-6163.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/long-tailed-weasel-and-rock-mia-mcpherson-6163.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/long-tailed-weasel-and-rock-mia-mcpherson-6163.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/long-tailed-weasel-and-rock-mia-mcpherson-6163.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":74023,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/09\/24\/photographing-my-first-green-heron-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":54767,"position":5},"title":"Photographing My First Green Heron In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It was a terrific \"season opener\" for me yesterday thanks to my keen observation skills at Farmington Bay WMA with a Green Heron, one-eared Long-tailed Weasel and a one-eyed American White Pelican.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sub-adult Green Heron catching prey in Utah, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.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\/54767","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=54767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54767\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}