Plus a rogue airplane flying much too low over Antelope Island yesterday morning.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
It’s been much too long since I’ve been able to get any Burrowing Owl photos I like but yesterday morning that streak came to an end when this bird popped up out of it “his” burrow for a few minutes. For my tastes many Burrowing Owl photos leave something to be desired because they tend to stay near their burrow entrance and all that bare earth is often unattractive. But this owl had a dirt mound in front of his burrow and he stood almost on top of it which gave me the greenery of Redstem Filaree in the background, including their lovely flowers which I adore having back there.
At one point the quiet and peaceful morning was rudely disturbed by an extremely low-flying plane that passed directly over our heads.
I estimated that the plane was significantly less than 100′ over the top of the hill directly behind the owl. This is one of the first shots I got of it when it was still further away but even then I could barely keep the entire plane in the frame with my teleconverter removed (this shot is almost full frame). The roar of the plane was deafening and the owl didn’t like it one bit.
Nor did I, especially when it got much closer and passed directly overhead.
I’m pretty clueless when it comes to aircraft and this one looks just a little unusual to me. Do any of my readers know what type it is?
A huge crop of the same photo (5% of the original image) makes it obvious that the pilot saw my pickup but he made no effort to turn away as he passed much too close overhead. In a state park! The reason he didn’t turn away may (or may not) have been to prevent me from reading his N-numbers, especially when he saw my big lens pointed his way. Unless he was blind he couldn’t have missed my lens and I doubt there are many blind pilots out there.
I’ve reported aircraft flying too low over the island to the FAA twice before but I may not be reporting this one for the following reasons:
- At this angle I couldn’t read the planes N-numbers in any of my photos.
- I know from experience that before they’ll investigate an incident the FAA requires evidence in the photos of how low the plane actually was which usually means getting both the plane and the ground in the photo. I never did because by the time I saw the plane coming from behind the hill the angle was too steep.
- It’s remotely possible that this pilot was on official business for the state but I doubt that very much.
I hate going from the sublime (the undisturbed little owl amongst the flowers) to the ridiculous (the noisy plane likely flying illegally) in a heartbeat but that’s what happened yesterday.
I sure wish I could read those N-numbers!
Ron
I believe a shot I took from the causeway a few weeks back is the same plane here. I also thought it was flying unusually low. The N-number of the one I shot is N367CC. If it’s the same plane it looks to be conducting official business by who the RO is.
Details on ownership for that N number can found here https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N367CC
USDA
Thanks, Ron. I’d used that same link just before you posted.
If it’s the same plane I’d agree with you, Michael. Its registered owner is USDA-APHIS-WS. Thanks for the info.
PA-18 super cub, Not a j3 cub. Sorry no N number, folks should be more responsible assuming he was not on some officialish business.
Thank you for the plane type, Kelly.
The pic of the Owl is beautiful. Not sure if you use Facebook, but might be a good place to show your pictures of the plane/man. Word does get passed around, and he might be caught.
Thanks, Jean. Yes, I always use FB to post a link to my blog, including this one.
LOVE the burrowing beauty, and its backdrop.
LOATHE the inconsiderate epitome of jerkdom.
Thank you, EC. Me too!
Perhaps you could contact the State and see “if” they use them and “if” they are labeled as State? 😉 “Low & Slow” a comment I’ve heard regarding them…
Judy, I know from past experience that at least some of them aren’t “labeled as State”. The State often leases the planes or hires the services of outside contractors.
Jon thinks it is a Piper Super Cub, the j3 doesn’t have the nose cone. My husband is not into birds but is into planes!
Lovely owl setting. Jon said the owl looks grumpy.
Thanks, April. Sounds like Jon knows his aircraft!
A native owl and two invasives, although at least one invasive has pretty blooms, whereas the other is a blooming jerk. Hope it’s not too much work to get all that mud of the truck and trailer.
“A native owl and two invasives, although at least one invasive has pretty blooms, whereas the other is a blooming jerk”
Another line I wish I’d thought of, Lyle. Perfecto!
I got the first half dozen layers of mud off of the trailer and pickup on the day I got home. The rest of it will have to wait. I’m trying to till my garden with a bad back. I haven’t been able to get near BLT’s (bending, lifting and twisting) for a couple of months now because of my back surgery but I’ll be DAMNED if I’ll go without the real thing all summer because I don’t have any garden tomatoes!
Pots work very well for tomatoes………. 😉 Do understand tho………..
Pots don’t cut it with me, Judy. I’m going slow and being careful…
Owl Wonderful
Motorhead AAARRRGHH!
Thanks, Dave. Agreed.
Hope you can resolve plane mystery. That owl really provided you an excellent backdrop.
Yes he did. Thanks, Arwen.
The owl looks a little impatient –“All right, get the shot, mister. I have things to do and I can’t stand here all day looking pretty.” 😜 (Sorry, a couple of insomnia-laden nights have made me weirder than usual.)
The Redstem Filaree in bloom makes the perfect backdrop for this adorable little guy. The RF in our yard bloomed early and mostly pink this year, but at least there’s still some green left.
My mom flew Piper Cubs back in the 50s — but never like an asshole.
You may be right about his impatience, Marty. He only gave me a few seconds while he was fully out of his burrow and turned mostly sideways.
Loved your last line about your mom.
Thanks, Ron. Both my parents were pretty “badass” in their own ways. 😉
Sorry, don’t know enough to be of help! However, know enough to be upset if I were in the truck with you! Also, interesting from other comments, tend to be nosey, what the plane was doing so low. Official business?? Out for a joy ride??
Great owl shot against the wildflowers. Can you say anything about the wildflowers, such as: is it a ground cover, does it tend to bloom when there is heavy rain/high precipitation, etc.?
Dick, Redstem Filaree is an invasive, introduced into North America in the 1700’s. It has since become naturalized, particularly in the deserts and grasslands in the west.
Here’s more:
* a low-growing, densely matted plant with fern-like leaves that grow in a rosette form
* leaves have reddish stems and are covered in fine hairs
* flower stalks support two to twelve vibrant pink/purple flowers with five petals and a long, beak-like fruit
* other common names for redstem filaree include cranesbill, heronsbill and storksbill due to the resemblance of the flower and fruit to a bird’s head
This is more than I expected, many thanks! As you already know I am a plant/flower nut and image taker. One last question: What butterflies if any have you seen pollinating this flower?
I can’t answer your butterfly question, Dick. I’m sure I’ve seen them near filaree but I didn’t notice or don’t remember the species. Besides, I’m not very good at butterfly ID.
Nice owl Ron. Too bad that plane was disturbing your photo time. He might have chased away some other opportunities that you missed. Never been a big fan of aircraft. Flew in many of them in the military as well as many years of business flights, but I am one who prefers the ground. 🙂
Happy Easter.
Everett Sanborn
Prescott AZ
Everett, Some rogue pilots like to harass the wildlife on the island, pronghorn and bison in particular.
We have trouble with Military choppers particularly close to and during hunting season. Joe called on it and got the “they need to practice low flying” until Joe pointed out the time of year it only occurred……;) It stopped for the most part. We live in an amphitheater type area and at times it’s deafening. Owl is lovely……….. 🙂
Thanks, Judy. I presume those choppers are from Malmstrom AFB?
Yes……….
Looks to be a Piper Super Cub. The VW bug of Alaska.
Thanks for the help, Neil.
The plane is most likely a Piper Cub J3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_J-3_Cub
A couple of other observations, the pilot is wearing a helmet which unusual unless they know they are going to flying low and in turbulence. There is also an unusual ‘something’ attached to the landing gear strut, planes left or lookers right, that may be some type of measurement device.
Search of FAA database only shows 7 Piper aircraft registered in the state of UT but no J3 models.
Thanks for that feedback, Ron. I don’t know how to do that search – are any of those 7 planes registered to the state of Utah?
The results for Piper aircraft in UT, this is public information that be searched for at https://registry.faa.gov/currentreg/CurrentRegReport_Results.aspx
9627K PIPER PA-28-151 04/08/2019 LEISHMAN KYLE P 136 N 100 E WELLSVILLE UT US 84339-9722
606A PIPER PA-22 04/15/2019 AERO SERVICES LC 2053 S 1640 W WOODS CROSS UT US 84087-2539
4388J PIPER PA-28-140 04/16/2019 MARLER JACKSON C 750 AUBURN CIR KAYSVILLE UT US 84037-5009
38986 PIPER PA-28-161 04/17/2019 COLLARD GEORGE E 58 E 4050 S BOUNTIFUL UT US 84010-8059
555JV PIPER PA 46-350P 03/30/2019 SKY KINGS 3 LLC 825 W 2400 S SOUTH SALT LAKE UT US 84119-1539
40670 PIPER PA-28-181 04/01/2019 DANIELS JONATHAN 1422 S ROXBURY RD SALT LAKE CITY UT US 84108-2843
2598N PIPER PA 31P 350 04/09/2019 BANK OF UTAH TRUSTEE 50 S 200 E STE 110 SALT LAKE CITY UT US 84111-1617
I am not convinced that I have the correct search, stay tuned
Thanks, Ron. Looks like several of those planes could have been leased/hired by the state. Long shot but possible.
Wow, you could almost have read the serial numbers off the propeller!
Yup, he was too damned low and close, George! And in many of my photos the plane was MUCH closer than this but by then I couldn’t keep the entire plane in the frame and I was mostly looking at its belly.
Burrowing Owl, wonderful. Airplane, not so much. Don’t like the noise.
Thank you, Sarah.