Feathered Photography

Burrowing Owl Takeoff (and my first fledglings of the year)

I’ve been watching for Burrowing Owl chicks in northern Utah for a couple of weeks with no luck until yesterday morning.

One of the many variables one must deal with when photographing birds at takeoff is direction of flight.

I’ve never had such a good look at a fledgling Short-eared Owl as I did yesterday morning. At this stage they look quite different from the adults.

Raptors can be quite innovative in their hunting techniques.

Yesterday morning in northern Utah this Short-eared Owl had a surprise waiting for me and it came at an unexpected moment.

I’ve been trying to photograph this behavior for years.

I often enjoy the little dramas in the lives of birds just as much as I do the bigger ones.

I seldom photograph raptors with nesting material because I won’t closely approach their nests but I got lucky with this female Red-tailed Hawk.

These swallows taught me some things.

with an optical illusion thrown in for good measure.