This time of year my thoughts invariably turn to Montana’s Short-eared Owls.
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The light was marginal for much of the time I spent with this male Short-eared Owl and his family in early June of 2010. At ISO 800 (high for my 7D) I barely had the shutter speed to keep this owl sharp in flight but since he was hunting regularly and I love flight shots of raptors with prey I had to try. Because of the conditions many of my shots were soft but occasionally I got lucky.
While this bird was actively hunting in the mornings and evenings he would typically catch a vole for his family about once every half hour so I had plenty of chances. The background here is the snowy Centennial Mountains.
I hope to return to western Montana four or five times this summer. The Great Horned Owls on the family farm and the Short-eared Owls of Beaverhead County are already calling my name. Loudly…
Ron
The facial expressions you capture on birds are just amazing. This shot is a perfect example of that.
That is a beautiful capture. With the marks on people’s lawns here from the voles I am hoping for some good owl activity this year. It would be a real exciting experience to watch these in action.
Ron–I think you’re magic,,,
Only occasionally, Patty. Usually my magic powers desert me when I need them most…
If the owls are calling you it would be extreeeeemly rude to ignore them. So I am very glad that you are a polite person and will answer the call.
And even a deceased vole has a right to a little less sizist comments. I hope that at my death people can find better things to talk about than my girth… The vole was obviously a very skilled forager is a more subtle way of putting it.
Rest assured, Elephants Child – I won’t ignore them. Or the call. And my reference to the size of the vole was actually a compliment!
And in response to Patty – at the BOP Conservation Area in Idaho, the ground was ALIVE with ground squirrels, what I was pretty sure were voles, and prairie dogs… dashing across the road in front of me, in the fields on both sides. I saw few raptors there (stunning flocks of white pelicans, though), maybe because it was siesta time – but there sure was a lot of food to fuel a good nesting season!
On a car trip to western Wyoming last week saw lots of raptors (also stopped at the Birds of Prey Conservation Area in Idaho and Malheur in Oregon) – but my favorite sighting, though fleeting, was of a short-eared owl being chased by a magpie just as darl was approaching. Hah! That SEOW was moving fast to get away from what I’m fairly sure was a nest-defending parent magpie!
That sounds like a fun trip, Louise. I hope to have a somewhat similar one soon…
Patty Chadwick made the following comment that was supposed to go on this post but for some reason (her “evil iPad?) it went to another post. So at her request I’ve copied it here.
“My first reaction was the same as Dick’s, “That’s one fat vole!” Then I thought about how you’d watch that one owl catch about one vole very half hour and, once again, realized how critical these raptors are in keeping the rodent (vole) population in check…That’s a lot of voles for one bird to catch, but those furry little “sliders” multiply so fast! I can barely. Imagine what the place might be like with nothing to control their numbers (unless, of course, some big corporation like McDonald’s can find a use for them)….”
Patty, How sure are you that McDonald’s hasn’t already found a use for voles…? The McVole Slider sounds kind of catchy, don’t you think?
Wonderful composition and lighting Ron !
John, I appreciate your feedback on the composition. With the wing position and the bird looking in the direction it is I struggled a little with my composition decision.
What a sensational shot under adverse conditions Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks very much, Charlotte.
Ron, I always admire your stunning images, and this is no exception. You commented on the high ISO, and I noted that you use a 500 with a 1.4 extension. Is there a reason why you purchased the 500 f4 vs. a 400 f2.8 with a 2X? I ask because in February I was out at Salt Lake shooting what eagles were there this year (very few and far away) and I used a 400 f2.8 with a 2X and got great clear shots on my 7D. However I note that both you and gentlemen like Art Morris, and Jim Neiger, all bird photographers who’s work I admire very much, use the 500. I am planning on returning this February again to get the bald eagle shots I didn’t get, and am wondering, should I rent this time the 500 instead of the 400. Thank you,
Rich, It’s not often that I’m shooting in low light like this so I’d rather have more reach than a faster lens and in my research image quality with the 500/1.4 tc combo is a little better than the 400/2x combo (though there’s not a lot of difference, apparently). For me the 500 f/4 is the perfect lens, everything considered. In fact I made the remark to someone just yesterday that if the Canon 500 f/4 and their 600 were the same price I’d still choose the 500. But no, if I had your lens and tc I certainly wouldn’t rent a 500 – your 400 is a great lens. If it isn’t “your” lens and you’re renting it, personally I’d rent the 500.
And for what it’s worth, I do admire some of the work of Morris and Neiger but I certainly don’t admire their typical field ethics to get those shots.
A wonderful image to take with me through the day – the power and the intensity! May we all catch our ‘voles’!
“May we all catch our ‘voles’!”
I like that, Alison.
Great shot Ron! That is one fat vole!!
Fat voles feed the family better, Dick. Thank you.
Stunning image as always, I’ve only spent one day photographing short-eared owl (a number of years ago no, and in the UK) but it was an awe inspiring day.
A day spent with these owls is a day never forgotten, Ashley. Thank you.