![\"burrowing](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/burrowing-owl-7414-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThis morning I needed a little Burrowing Owl silliness.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n I photographed this juvenile (and its siblings) this past July in a remote area of Box Elder County. Like most youngsters of the species they were amusing to watch.\u00a0They experimented with their environment, their siblings and themselves as they learned about the world they found themselves in. They could sometimes look pretty serious but it never lasted long.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u00a0never knew what\u00a0might happen when they tried to stretch on an elevated perch because they were so awkward and clumsy. They would often lose their balance and then have to use their wings to recover so I had to be prepared with enough shutter speed and depth of field to capture unpredictable poses as well as I could.<\/p>\n This time the bird didn’t lose its balance but I got a\u00a0nice wing stretch in my direction and I also enjoy the stretching foot in front of the wing. This youngster did unusually well because it was obviously balanced on one foot during the stretch and never did begin to fall.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n Then it turned on the post and began to preen. These kinds of activities on an elevated perch are difficult for young owls for reasons of stability but it’s how they learn and develop. Those talons almost look like they have a death-grip on the perch in order to prevent the bird from losing its balance. It’s a silly pose but I like silliness from Burrowing Owls, especially juveniles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n Then the bird really turned on the goofy-juice. This is a pose I’ve seen often from raptors (I don’t know why I never see it in other birds) but I’m really not sure what’s happening – perhaps it’s a foot clenching exercise. The pose is often held for some time and with its eyes closed it looks like this youngster is enjoying the moment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A huge crop (only 5% of the original image)\u00a0of the previous photo gives us a better look at those eyelids and amazing “eyelashes”. Owls lower their upper eyelids when blinking but raise their lower eyelids when asleep.<\/p>\n I’ve often wondered if the long eyelashes and bushy eyebrows\u00a0of Burrowing Owls might be adaptations designed to help keep dirt out of their eyes while they’re\u00a0in their burrows.<\/p>\n For the past few weeks I’ve been seeing Burrowing Owls on Antelope Island which is quite unusual in the dead of winter. I hope that’s an encouraging sign because in much of the west these birds are really struggling.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This morning I needed a little Burrowing Owl silliness.<\/p>\n![\"burrowing](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/burrowing-owl-7428-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"burrowing](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/burrowing-owl-7459-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"burrowing](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/burrowing-owl-7482-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"burrowing](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/burrowing-owl-7482-big-crop-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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