![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/short-eared-owl-7290b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"short-eared-owl-7290b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nThis male\u00a0demonstrates a fascinating molt and feather regrowth pattern.<\/p>\n
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1\/2000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS\u00a0USM + EF 1.4 Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n In late June of 2010 I spent several days with him at Red Rock Lakes NWR\u00a0as he was hunting to feed his family at their nest at the base of a sagebrush. Here I caught him\u00a0banking as he turned to approach the nest with a meal. He was a wonderful provider for his mate and their two chicks in the nest and every time (out of dozens) I saw him with prey\u00a0it was a vole. He was a tireless hunter and a fierce and\u00a0relentless defender of his territory from other owls. He virtually ignored me as I photographed him from my pickup on the road (I never once got out of my vehicle or approached the nest).<\/p>\n In this photo I like the banking pose that gives us a good look at his\u00a0ventral surfaces, the setting and soft background, the partially flared alula on his left wing and of course the vole.<\/p>\n I’ve posted other shots of this bird in the past but last night I was surprised when I realized that I’d never posted this one because\u00a0this particular\u00a0flight posture gives us such a great view of his molt pattern. I know very little about the sequence of molt in\u00a0owls but it appears to me that his shorter secondaries are still growing\u00a0and I’m surprised that they’re all about the same length which would suggest their predecessors were lost at about the same time\u00a0and that would presumably make the owl flightless or close to it. Unlike geese owls don’t go through a flightless stage during molt so I must be missing or misinterpreting something. I’d appreciate some light on the subject from any of my\u00a0readers “in the know”.<\/p>\n There also seems to be several tail feathers missing and one primary on his left wing is seriously damaged. Providing food for his family and defending his territory from other owls during the long breeding and nesting season\u00a0have apparently taken their toll on his plumage.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This male demonstrates a fascinating molt and feather regrowth pattern.<\/p>\n