A Barn Owl Hunting And A Delightful Surprise When I Arrived Home

Yesterday was chock full of avian surprises!

It was overcast and gloomy the entire day, the kind of day we normally stay home, but in an effort to relieve cabin fever we finally broke down and left for Farmington at midday.  While there we didn’t see many birds and almost left for home after one tour of the area but at the last minute decided to do another.  That’s when this cooperative Barn Owl came into play.

 

barn owl 8253 ron dudley

1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 100-400 @400mm, not baited, set up or called in

I’ve seen a few of these owls flying this winter but didn’t have much to show for it and these shots aren’t of great image quality either but I sure liked the behavior.  Here the bird (likely a male) has pounced on prey in the deep snow.  As always, I presumed the prey was a vole.  It maintained this position for a few moments, apparently as it dealt with the prey with its feet.

The perspective is a little different here.  I’m looking down on the bird at a fairly sharp angle and because of a steep slope directly in front of the owl I had to stretch awkwardly in my pickup seat to get the lens high up against the top of my window to see even this much of the bird.

 

 

barn owl 8265 ron dudley

1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 100-400 @320mm, not baited, set up or called in

Then the owl plunged its head deep into the snow…

 

 

barn owl 8288 ron dudley

1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 100-400 @330mm, not baited, set up or called in

but came up empty the first time.

 

 

barn owl 8310 ron dudley

1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 100-400 @330mm, not baited, set up or called in

It tried again and this time – success!  And a surprise.  It wasn’t a vole, but a mouse (white belly, bigger ears, longer tail).   Most places I shoot have mostly voles but I’ve photographed kestrels with mice at Farmington before (in fact once, on a nature photography critique forum it was publicly insinuated that I had baited the kestrel with the mouse – I hadn’t.  That’s one reason I always make it clear that I don’t bait).

 

 

barn owl 8313 ron dudley

1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 100-400 @330mm, not baited, set up or called in

Barn Owls are quick in downing their prey and this one was no exception.

 

 

barn owl 8333 ron dudley

1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, 100-400 @190mm, not baited, set up or called in

Then it took off and hunted some more.  Here you can more clearly see the snow bank in front of the bird that I was dealing with.

This owl was hunting very successfully.  I saw him capture 3 (possibly 4) voles/mice in the time I spent with him.  Though the snow is thick it’s not crusted over (for now) and this bird had no trouble finding prey.  I’ll post more images of this bird in the future.

 

I live in the suburbs and it’s unusual for me to see raptors in my neighborhood but two days ago there was a Rough-legged Hawk just up the street from my home.  Then yesterday, just before arriving home from this trip, there was a Cooper’s Hawk in a tree behind my house.  And lo and behold, guess what was in my own yard as I pulled into my driveway…

 

 

bald eagle 9251 ron dudley

1/100, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

Rather than a partridge in a pear tree it was an eagle in an elm tree.  My elm tree!    I just now looked outside (5:21 AM) and the bird is still there.

 

 

bald eagle 1416 ron dudley

1/100, f/9, ISO 500, Canon 7D, 17mm, not baited, set up or called in

Here’s a different perspective from yesterday afternoon.   In the 25 years I’ve lived here I’ve only seen a Bald Eagle perched in my neighborhood once before.

Seeing this bird was particularly poignant for me because there’s a mysterious malady killing Bald Eagles in Utah – as of now at least 13 have died after showing symptoms of head tremors, lower extremity paralysis and digestive problems.  Necropsy results should be available soon after Christmas.  I sure hope it’s easily dealt with and isn’t contagious.  If it is contagious our eagles could be in big trouble when they mass in very large numbers in January and February on the marshes of the Great Salt Lake as they feed on carp.  (more here if you’re interested)

Ron

 

 

28 Comments

  1. I had to go find this post of your encounter with the Barnie. Thank you!

  2. What a great day! Fantastic sequence with the Barn Owl and what a nice yard ornament to find! I’ll keep my fingers crossed the Eagle malady is short-lived.

  3. Looks like you ended up having a great day after all. Congrats! I just heard on tv that the eagles are getting sick in Utah. Any insight on this?

    Charlotte

    • Yes, Charlotte. 20 eagles are now dead from this mysterious disease (or whatever it is). We could know the cause very soon – necropsy results are due in the next few days.

  4. What an amazing sequence of the hunting by the Barn Owl. I can understand how happy you felt to get such a sweet surprise at the end. And the Bald Eagle in the neighborhood, is the cherry on top. You are lucky, and I am feeling so happy to see all these. Thank you!

  5. Great pictures as always! Would love to see a barn owl in the wild some time. I typically will see one or two hawks trying to catch a bird at our feeders in the backyard, but to see an eagle, that would be awesome!
    Do you think the eagle malady could be related to the wind turbines that are popping up? They are known to be big bird and bat killers.

  6. I’m pretty new to this site but thanks for the wonderful post on the barn owl and eagle. I look forward to seeing your such striking photos. Many thanks – B. Lane, Greensboro, NC

  7. This is incredible, thanks for sharing!!!

  8. Was reading this on my iPhone, and YEAH, that eagle certainly was a surprise. Nice surprise, indeed. And the owl shots were fun, too.

  9. I have a soft spot for Barn Owls…they were the first Raptors I ever got close to. My Grandfather was a dry farmer out here in the Sacramento Valley and had some big barns. One of the barns was a retired grainary. He found a nest of Barn Owls at the bottom of one of the bins(his bins were homemade,square and about 12x12x12 foot in size). He had me (10 years old) climb down into the bin and take some pictures. I still have those pictures and boy did they turn out nice. Grandpa of course left them alone and we told that story many times around the dinner table….its been 40 years ago, but I might even bring it up this year. I love the memories you stir up for me Ron, and I appreciate having place to share my experiences with one of my best friends Sakura. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    Tim

  10. How wonderful that you were able to capture these two magnificent birds at this time. I think they came to wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for caring so much about them. Thank you so so much for sharing your awesome photos with us and I too wish you a wonderful Christmas Ron.

  11. And, Ron and Mia HAVE A FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS AND A GREAT, PROSPEROUS, AND PHOTOGRAPHIC NEW YEAR!!

    DICK AND CINDY HARLOW

  12. Love your Barn Owl vignette, fantastic capture!! Much appreciated you sharing these behavioral shots.

    And, WOW, what a great Bald Eagle capture, beautiful.
    Here’s hoping that the Eagles survive whatever scare it turns out to be. We all have to realize that many thousands of birds of all sizes and shapes perish out of sight of man. Imagine how many are lost at sea migrating over water. We can only work and try to make sure we are doing whatever we can to prevent us from being the vector.

  13. It is early Christmas morning here – so best wishes for you and yours for the day, the season and the year.
    I loved the owl series (of course), and am awe at the eagle. What a treat.
    I do hope the eagles illness is identified quickly – and can be addressed even more quickly.

  14. Love the perspective on the owl, persistence pays off.. And how neat is that to see an eagle perched in a populated neighbourhood.

  15. Your pictures bring out the colors and patterns of the bird feathers in a way I have never seen. It is a real treat to get something in the e-mail that I really want to see. Thanks for your disciplined observation and camera work and for your generous sharing.

  16. I look forward to seeing your photos each weekday morning. This was an especially delightful series (except for the mouse, of course). Merry Christmas!

  17. Wow! A Bald Eagle in you yard – how amazing is that?! Seeing a Bald Eagle is always a special experience. love the barn owl photos, especially the third one where it looks like he’s doing a belly slide on the snow. That picture gave both my husband and me a good laugh.

  18. Hi Ron,
    Wow-what great pics of the Barn Owl and the action too….bad day to be a mouse out there.
    Sounds like a great day of shooting and then to come home to a spectacular Bald Eagle !!

    Thanks for these fantastic pics and information all year long and have a very Merry Christmas !!

  19. Hi Ron – many thanks for sharing these special pictures. Cheers, and Merry Christmas to you!

  20. Very cool. Nature just keeps on giving when we patiently observe. I never tire of experiencing what you’ve shared, Ron! Have a Merry Christmas!

  21. Wow!!! What a Christmas present you gave to all of us!! The barn owl series is so terrific. I watch live owl cams so I’m very familiar with their habits. Swallowing very large mice etc in almost one gulp gets me every time. Even the juviniles manage to swallow almost whole creatures in one or two big gulps!! Then to come home to find that beautiful eagle in your tree…not that was a holidya gift from the bird Gods just for you!!! Great series. Have a very happy Christmas Ron. You are such a great gift to all of us. Have a happy and healthy 2014!!

    Your fan,
    Ellen

  22. It’s a message from the God of Raptors, thanking you for doing your part in educating the public about these magnificent creatures. 🙂 As an avian rehabber (passerine and raptor) I believe education/conservation is our only ticket to a better future for the wild ones. Thanks for your beautiful work, Ron. Merry Christmas!!!

    • “I believe education/conservation is our only ticket to a better future for the wild ones.”

      I couldn’t agree more, Leslie – that’s one of the primary reasons I blog.

  23. Ron, the series on the barn owl hunting is delightful. I’m very sorry to hear of the mysterious malady attacking your bald eagles. Please keep us posted about anything you may learn.

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