This is the time I’ve both looked forward to, and dreaded – when Barn Owls hunt during daytime.
Normally this species is strictly nocturnal so they fly only during times that photography is virtually impossible. But around here, when it turns very cold and the snow is deep, they must continue to hunt during the day in order to survive. It’s my guess that there are two reasons for the change in behavior; the cold increases their demand for body heat and the food to supply it, combined with the difficulty of hunting voles when the snow is so deep.
The last time these birds hunted regularly during daytime was several years ago when we had a similar frigid winter. Many of those birds didn’t survive until spring.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday there were several Barn Owls hunting in mid-day soon after our latest storm began to clear out which finally allowed for some good light. It was brutally cold with perhaps a foot of fresh snow on the ground, on top of the snow from previous storms. Notice the ice/snow clumped on the feet of the owl.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in
I’ve mentioned before how difficult it can be to get a catch light in this species because of their deeply set eyes. I didn’t get any light in the eye in this image but I liked the wing position and the bird against the pastel sky as it scanned the snow-covered ground for voles.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in
Here the owl briefly looked at me, which allowed for direct eye contact. The lower background is a stand of Phragmites and other vegetation, with snow up top.
This shot should give you some idea of the conditions out there. The tracks on the right are the “road” and the driving was treacherous. I drive a full-sized pickup truck with four-wheel drive and even though I have lots of experience driving on snow (I lived many years in northern Montana) I once almost slid into a ravine and another time into a parked car. One group of hunters had their boat and trailer slide off the road and very nearly into a frozen pond. It was tricky passing other vehicles on the road. In this image I had pulled off the tracks to allow another vehicle to pass and you can see that the snow was so deep that I “snowplowed” snow in front of me, then had to back out to get on the road again.
All in a day’s work for a bird photographer in northern Utah during winter…
Ron
I like this framing, detail and poses.
It is so cold out there…. These shots are very special. Although it truly tells of the hardships these creatures face, I am with you in the feeling the excitement of finding them hunting in broad daylight. Let us hope these owls have success in their daytime hunts.
Breathtaking. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow! The owl shots are fabulous, Ron.
Thank you, Howard.
How do the voles cope in a hard winter like the one you are currently enduring? And do they have to come to the surface, or can they hunker down underground and wait for spring. I do understand the pain of watching the birds suffer, knowing it is (probably) the best thing, but …
Beautiful photos of a bird I am particularly fond of. Thank you.
Elephant’s Child, Voles live under the insulating snow which helps to protect them from the worst of the cold. They have underground burrows but also burrow on the surface of the ground through the snow. They tend to come to the surface during the warmer parts of the day which is why raptor photography is sometimes best in afternoon when it’s very cold.
I thoroughly enjoy your posts. Your photos are amazing. I love all birds, my favorite being the Barn Owl. I hate to think of any bird suffering and being hungry in cold weather. I know they don’t migrate, but I wish they would go a little south for winter. If only I could protect and feed all of these beautiful creatures. Thank you for allowing us a peek into the lives of all that you photograph. It is much appreciated. Thank you.
I know what you mean, Debbie. Seeing critters suffer as I sometimes do isn’t easy to watch. I have to remind myself that it’s often natural selection in action and good for the species in the long run (in those cases where the suffering is caused by natural events) but it’s still difficult to observe up close through the lens.
Beautiful photos, thank you so much for sharing. How did the owl look vulnerable?
Nicole, It was shaking while perched on a metal perch. To me it looked like it was shivering from the cold (I looked at the thermometer at the time and it was -2 F and had recently been -7) because it would alternate from shaking to not shaking, just like a human does when shivering. But I don’t know if birds shiver when chilled like humans do. Birds and mammals are the only truly warm blooded classes of vertebrates so perhaps they both shiver. Planned on researching that a little…
Beautiful action photos Ron ! I guess there’s always a positive and a negative to everything.A positive for us that you share your art, observations ,but also to get the viewer to look past the beauty ,to understand the day to day plight of these awesome birds. And the pains and patience it takes to capture the natural wonders on film.Thanks for all you do.
I appreciate your nice comment, John.
Hi Ron, the flight shots are incredibly amazing. The details, pose and background, everything came together to make them so pleasing to the eyes.
I also feel the pain that they had to hunt during day time. Hope they could survive this winter.
I hope so too, Tin Man. One of the owls I saw today looked very vulnerable.
Lovely birds, incredible amounts of snow and effort on your part; thanks for the pics!
Thanks, Tana.
Beautiful shots, Ron. I especially like the second one. Normally, contrast between the bird and background enhances an image, but in this case, the nearly identical color of the wings and the sky give the image an ethereal aura.
Thanks also for the last photo. Many of us who have lived only in the “sunny South” have no concept of the conditions in which you photograph. Your are to be commended.
I actually enjoy the winters, Dwynn. Usually… But right now, after just returning from another photo trip, the toes on my left foot are still numb with cold. Just like yesterday.
Thanks for all your effort in the bad weather conditions. We were certaily rewarded for your efforts with your wonderful owl shots.I love owls and never get an opportunity to see them. Your photos are certainly the next best thing!
I’m glad you enjoy them, Charlotte. Thank you.