Short-eared Owl With Prey And Resting After Hunting
It’s barely the New Year but I’m already weary of snow and cold so there’s a change of pace this morning provided by a Short-eared Owl, flowers and the color green.
Tag: hunting
Using My Birding History As A Predictor Of Success Or Failure In The Field
I’m a big history buff, especially of English, Utah and family history. And I include the history of my own bird photography in that list for very good reason.
Banking Northern Harrier
Images of banking Northern Harriers don’t come easy but yesterday morning at Farmington Bay I was able to get that shot.
Prairie Falcon With Prey
This young female Prairie Falcon had just claimed her prize after a successful and well-planned hunt.
Sharp-shinned Hawk On A Rock At Sunrise
I don’t get many opportunities with accipiters but yesterday morning this Sharp-shinned Hawk gave me several.
This Short-eared Owl Very Nearly Flew In My Pickup Window Yesterday Morning
A visit to Box Elder County yesterday morning resulted in a very close encounter with a female Short-eared Owl in flight.
Light Morph Swainson’s Hawk – An Athletic Takeoff
Whenever I catch this posture at takeoff I’m always impressed by the physical effort and athletic ability required to become airborne.
Prairie Falcon Hunting Grasshoppers In A Storm
Grasshoppers are not typical prey for Prairie Falcons. Studies indicate that the main foods taken are other birds (Horned Larks and meadowlarks are favorites), small mammals and lizards but in a pinch they do consume flying insects, including grasshoppers. This bird was intent on doing just that.
Mountain Plovers In Utah
Mountain Plovers are uncommon throughout their range and rare in Utah but I’ve had my moment in the sun with them and it was an experience I’ll never forget.
Barn Owl Hunting In The Clearing Fog
Recently I’ve spent some time rooting around in my dusty archives and I’ve found a few gems that I originally passed over.
Two Coyotes Hunting And The Demise Of A Vole
Two days ago I photographed a pair of coyotes up close as they hunted voles along the Antelope Island causeway.
Red-tailed Hawk Just Prior To Reaching Prey
This first photo isn’t a classic buteo flight shot but I believe it’s fairly unique for a non-baited image. I’ve occasionally been able to capture raptors as they’re about to land on a predictable perch but this is the first and only time I’ve been able to get a shot I like pretty well of a raptor as it’s about to (or attempt to) “land” on prey it’s seen from a far-away perch.
Golden Eagle – Out, Damn’d Wires, Out!
I have a small list of personal nemesis species but if forced to choose the top contender it would have to be the shy and elusive Golden Eagle. I’d estimate that I get a reasonable chance with one of these birds about two times per year and every time something goes wrong that prevents me from getting the photos I covet so much. Two mornings ago it was those ever-pesky power lines.
Snowy Egret – “Golden Slippers” Running On Water
The distinctive bright yellow feet and deeply contrasting jet-black legs of the Snowy Egret can really grab your eye when they’re visible above the water’s surface or even when the egret is in flight – so much so that both the bird and its feet are often referred to as “golden slippers”.
Posing Yellowlegs On A Rock Stage
On a visit to Glover Pond last week I found this Greater Yellowlegs resting on a rock surrounded by relatively clear, still water which I thought made a nice setting for the bird (even though the rock also provided some compositional challenges).