Just a quick post from me today. If you can believe it I slept in until 4:45 AM which is almost an hour late for me.
Short-eared Owls have been unusually difficult for me to come by this year so yesterday morning I was happy to catch this presumed male in flight with prey (a vole). I sure wish he’d been a little closer though.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I watched for some time as he hunted a pasture far away from me. When he eventually started to take an indirect path in my general direction I did all I could on my end by raising my lens and locking onto him. The rest was up to him but he never did come in quite close enough for high quality photos before he crossed the road in front of me on his way to presumably deliver the vole to his family on their nest. This is the last photo of him I got out of 9 when he was closest to me but it’s cropped to only 40% of the original image so I don’t have great detail.
But it’s been several years since I photographed a Short-eared Owl in flight with prey and that was in Montana so I decided to post it anyway. I really like the flight pose with the wings up and the owl flying one direction while looking in another. And the vole is well separated from the body and wings of the owl so it’s very easily seen and he has good light on his face with his yellow eye standing out well.
I’m almost positive this bird is a male because of its relatively light color (females are generally darker than males) and the fact that only males provide food to the nestlings while the female is on the nest caring for eggs or brooding chicks.
This may not be my best photo of an owl in flight with prey but it will tide me over until I have another opportunity.
Ron
He may be far away, but he is beautiful. I like the way his head is turned, and that you can see the feather patterns on both the upper and lower wing surfaces.
Glad to hear that you “slept-in”. I am sure you deserve it with the crazy hours you keep.
Haven’t heard much about it lately but hope the shingles are contained/gone. I know all about the back pain that never goes away but we have to think about each other and stick together—–sure you know what I mean.
Thank you for everything you do, Ron. You bring enlightment to so many people, includine me.
4:45? Slacker! 😉 A short post of a short-eared owl = perfection!
Ha, only you would spot that “short” connection, Marty!
You wish the short-ear had come closer. The vole wished (briefly I hope) it hadn’t.
What a wonderful sight to see for those of us who are not prey. And an occasional sleep-in is fine. Says the woman whose partner’s preferred get up time is the crack of noon (which drives me crazy.)
EC, thankfully my “sleep-ins” are very occasional. Otherwise my bird photography would suffer the consequences.
“… he never did come in quite close enough for high quality photos …”
Sigh. An owl carrying prey. For me, whether wearing my “wish I was a good birder” hat or my more subtle “wish I was a good photographer” hat, the mere experience would be the very definition of a high quality day!
Thank you, Ron, for continuing to share such special moments!
Well said, Wally. It was a high quality experience for me too.
Great shot as usual.
During the natural vole population cycle do you notice a change in predators or their length of stay in an area, e.g. coyotes, owls, hawks, as to where they are hunting or a lack thereof?
Yes, I think I do, Dick. But cause and effect are tricky to establish reliably.
Yes, I agree.
However there have been periods when I hardly see a predator around a track of land that appears “to me” should be full o voles, mice, etc. Other times (years), they are there. Always felt I was witnessing rodent population cycles with no proof other than my gut.
I have been seeing more voles in my travels this year so hopefully it will be a good owl year too.
I hope I can get out next weekend for some birding, I would like to try Ruby Valley, Nevada. I camped there 30 years ago but did not go to the wetland area and hot spring. So many places to go and so few weekends to do it. You should see my calendar, every weekend has a proposed travel destination marked. For some reason the older I get the more rushed I feel to see all the things I have put off. Work and raising a family has taken priority for 30+ years, it is time for me to play now!
I’ve been seeing more voles too, April. A good sign!
Yup, do it while you can – before you develop a bad back or something else that limits your activity and travel!
4:45!!! Horrors!!! Getting up that eary is a thing in the past for me(animals to feed before going to school)…”dog alarms” now let me sleep until about 6:30 or 7:00….love it!!! Nice shot of the shortear…as usual feel sorry for the vole, but realize it’s probably food for some babies…
PS. I have NEVER doubted you…or your integrity…EVER…(or Mia’s)…
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Patty. I’ve always been an early bird…
Ohhhhhhhhh! 🙂 Absolutely gorgeous even if not as much detail as you’d like! Got the owl, beautiful wing position, eye, and the vole is clear – has me grinning ear to ear for sure!
Judy, Grins this early in the morning are always welcome! Thank you.
Ah, a bird that makes my heart race! Love those in flight photos. The eyes have it with this bird! I can’t count the hours this season I have simple sat and waited for this bird. Fortunately there is a marsh about 25 miles away so driving time is not a factor, and there are always Harriers or RoughLegged Hawks to pass the time while waiting for the ShortEars to appear. I fear they have departed for the season now but there are the photos to tide me over.
“I fear they have departed for the season now but there are the photos to tide me over.”
Kathy, I’ve always found it interesting that in the northeast states SEO’s are winter residents and go north for breeding, while here in Utah they do almost the opposite (we see very few of them in winter but they nest here).