Each of the following five photos was posted to Feathered Photography back in February and March, 2011.
- I’ve been posting photos daily to Feathered Photography for about ten years now. Many of them haven’t been seen since the first day they were published and I think some of them deserve better than that. So it’s my intention, once or twice each month, to post a few images from the distant past. They won’t all necessarily be my ‘best’ photos – some will have behavioral significance and others will be images I have a sentimental attachment to for a variety of reasons. Long time followers of Feathered Photography will have seen some of them before but I think most of us enjoy the occasional ‘golden oldie’.
A male Short-eared Owl in Montana delivering a vole to his family at the nest. My time spent with this family of owls over many days was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I’ve had as a bird photographer.
The background is sagebrush flats below and the Centennial Mountains in shade in the top half of the frame.
An intensely curious Long-tailed Weasel in its white winter coat. Technically it isn’t a great photo but this was the first time I’d photographed an elusive white weasel, what some folks call an ermine, so it was the beginning of my long-term attempt to photograph more of them – a quest that remains largely unfulfilled.
An adult Bald Eagle eating a fish in flight.
I posted four photos of the eagle with the fish back in February of 2011 and I’m including three of them today. Here we see a fish scale below the eagle’s tail as it was falling to the ice below.
This is the reason the eagle was attempting to eat the fish in flight rather than on the ice. There were many gulls on the ice that would pester any eagle attempting to eat a fish down there so this one tried a different strategy in an attempt to avoid the aggravating gulls. It didn’t work. I actually saw a gull bite the tail of one of the eagles in flight.
When I posted this last photo ten years ago I’d cropped the gull out of the image. This version that includes the gull is one I posted later. I have quite a few other photos in the series but they weren’t posted in the proper time frame so I’m not including any of them here.
Ron
Wonderful, everyone is a delight and a personal favorite. When I first ran into your blog after being grounded by my family after a TIA , I read every one of you blog posts, old and present. I thought I would go crazy being stuck home for 3 months not allowed by family to go exploring alone. Having a TIA gave me even a stronger desire to see and go to places I have wanted too but put off. I lived vicariously through you blog for those three months. Your blog was also the final decider for my purchase of my Canon Camera set up similar to yours. I had drooled over better camera gear for years, but put if off due to expense. Between the TIA and your wonderful blog photos and stories I decided to purchase the gear. Who know hows long I will live, I better enjoy my present time! I have not looked back since.
You asked not long ago if I was training to be a Sherpa, I think Covid, the loss of my job, health issues, deaths of people dear to me, (not Covid related) are again the driving force in my need to hike/bike and explore areas I have missed in my trekking. So Ron, to end this overly long testimony, thanks for the inspiration and push I needed. You never know until you go!
Wow, I didn’t know most of that April. I’m so glad you shared your story and how it intertwined with mine. Made my day, actually…
Some of your favorites are some of my favorites, too. The intensity of the Shortie’s gaze and the inquisitive stare of the weasel are particularly captivating. And the Eagle shots are amazing! Thanks for bringing them all back!
Thanks very much, Chris.
Thank you for sharing these blasts from the past, Ron! Even in this shot, Papa Shortie looks a little disheveled from the constant task of bringing home the bacon (or in this case, the voles) fast enough for his demanding spouse. Poor eagle too. Gulls can definitely be persistent assholes — even to people. And the ermine with his cute, pink, boopable nose (even though I know I’d lose a finger, it’s tempting 😉 ) — he makes me think of your banner.
We’re supposed to get some rain and possible snow in the mountains over the weekend and early next week. In the meantime, it’s high winds and a red flag fire warning.
Marty, the many days I spent with that male owl while he was trying to keep his family (his mate and two ravenous chicks) supplied with food really impressed upon me how much work is involved. I’m surprised he looks as good as he does.
There you go showing off again. Justifiably so. Getting these shots inside of two months; I’d be be over the moon to get one of them ever (especially the Ermine).
That weasel was pretty exciting, Lyle. But then they always are.
I feel for you on the lack of rain front. An Australian farmer whose blog I follow posted photos of the land cracking yesterday. Not unexpected I suppose for this time of year – but unwelcome. And other parts of Oz are under flood watch. Also unwelcome.
I thoroughly enjoy wandering down memory lane with you though. Mega thanks. Again.
My husband thinks you are the best nature photographer on the planet. We both enjoy your comments as well. The pestering gull is awesome.
Linda, your husband is very kind but I’m far from that. Thanks, to you both.
Too much or too little moisture can be equally devastating. Around here the only extreme we usually get is the latter. Thanks, EC.
Spectacular shots Ron, thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thank you, Charlotte.
Being fairly new to your blog repeats are exciting little gifts 😁 You’re spoiling me the Bald eagle pics lately…. thanks❗️
We’ll all crossing our fingers for rain & snow soon.
Thanks, Diana. Yes, at this point any form of moisture is welcome but snow is preferable.
Wow! Guess mom never said don’t fly with your mouth full!
Thanks for the favs. They’re all spectacular.
The weasel though, is that his tail sticking up between his legs? Or is it a trick of the shadows? What am I seeing?
Thanks, Jamila. To be honest I’m not sure what it is. Their tail has a solid black tip.
I love them all. A particular favorite is the ermine. 🙂 I was once lucky enough to observe one for about 10 minutes. I’d taken refuge from some noisy fellow campers (big festival event) under a bristlecone pine. There was a flat rock. With the limbs of the tree coming down, I was out-of-sight. I’d been hanging out there when movement caught my eye. Hop. Hop. Stand up to check surroundings. Then it hunting for a bit. I think it was catching grasshoppers but I’m not sure. It was very fun to watch.
Arwen, for most of us a sighting of a weasel, no matter what color phase, is a memorable event. Obviously yours was too.
What a group of wonderful photos, all hard to get! The short-eared owl is a special treat. I am so glad you’re doing this. The white long-tailed weasel looks like a problem that’s likely becoming more common with warmer winters. The “camo” nature provided him with is certainly not working as intended.
Nancy, since we haven’t had any significant snow so far this winter I think our weasels are going to be unusually vulnerable to other predators.
Beautiful and fun! 🙂 We had a bragging eagle with a fish on a power pole many years back. In came the magpies and then a coyote waiting at the bottom of the pole! Eagle did escape with it’s fish – for how long I don’t know.. Love the SEO with the vole and the weasel in winter coat….. Thx for sharing – rerun. 🙂
Thank you, Judy.
I’m glad that you’re going to republish some of your best– I could look at
them many times over and enjoy them equally the second time around. I’ve
missed seeing that beautiful, “vinegary”- looking weasel ( from your past
blog header )–what a wonderful looking critter !
Kris, I have a few photos of that weasel with a vole in his mouth but they had some obstructing vegetation in front.
Great photos. Have never seen a weasel in the wild, but would love to. The eagle photos are new to me and are spectacular. Gotta love those gulls and their chutzpa and intelligence. “Eagles can’t fly holding onto a fish and fight me.” Had a Ring-billed Gull fly right down in front of me and catch a fish at the edge of one of our lakes last week. If one of our eagles had been present he would have come right down to steal it because the gull had to make four or five attempts to position the fairly large fish before finally getting it down.
I’m a little surprised you haven’t seen the eagle photos, Everett. I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Oh Ron, What fun!! I love these special “Favorites” posts!! So enjoy them & since I didn’t find your site until Spring of 2014 there are many I haven’t seen before. Can’t wait for the next post!!
Good to know, Jo Ann. They’ll be ‘old hat’ to some of my viewers.
Thank you for posting these great photos. Since, I only recently discovered your site, which has enriched my days a lot.
Take Care and I hope no winds
cause you harm,
Kaye
Thank you, Kaye. There’s supposed to be high winds this morning just north of us but so far it’s pretty calm around here. I hope it stays that way.
Love the color of the eagle background. It really sets everything off nicely; great in flight /eating catches. The poor weasel in his white coat sure stands out…they must be prey for everything at this stage. Of course the owl is my favorite. We’ve had gray skies for weeks so my trips to the marsh has only produced photos that are too dark to be satisfying. This ‘no-sun’ phase this years seems extraordinarily long!
Kathy, that background in the eagle photos is the Wasatch Mountains in shade.
At least we have some sunny days now and then in-between storm fronts that never drop any significant moisture. We’re in a world of hurt around here because of our lack of snow.