![\"burrowing](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/burrowing-owl-5447-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"burrowing")
<\/p>\nPopulations of Burrowing Owls in North America are in sharp decline.\u00a0 They are an Endangered Species in Canada where only about 800 pairs remain as there has been a 73%\u00a0drop in their numbers in that country\u00a0over the last 30 years.\u00a0 They are a species of “special protection” in Mexico and they are “listed” in 9 of the 18 western states in the U.S. that they still occupy.<\/p>\n
The reason for this disastrous decline is not well understood, but “human activity” is strongly suspected.\u00a0 In order to get a better handle on what is happening to them, multiple banding studies are in progress and that includes Antelope Island.<\/p>\n
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1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I first noticed banded juvenile Burrowing Owls on the island this past summer.\u00a0\u00a0 Out of about a dozen juveniles in one area, several of them were banded but it was difficult to get a precise number because they’re hard to tell apart when\u00a0some are in their burrows and the rest are flying all over\u00a0the area.<\/p>\n Most of the photos I have of banded owls were taken in early morning light but this one was taken later in the day (as you can tell by the position of the catch light and the angle of the shadows on the eyes), so the light was brighter and harsher.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0The wings aren’t sharp here but I think the motion blur works well enough since the head and body are sharp.\u00a0 The light on the foot shows off the band well and that’s my purpose with this post.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a01\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0This bird almost seemed like it was trying to show off its “jewelry” by putting the appropriate foot forward.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a01\/2000, f\/5.6, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0This one had just taken off from the sagebrush in the lower right corner.\u00a0 I wish I’d had more room up top for better composition (perhaps I’ll add some canvas there) but the band shows well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a01\/160, f\/8, ISO 640, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I thought this image demonstrated the vulnerability of the species well.\u00a0 It was taken just as the sun was peeking over the mountains, when there was a warm yellow-red glow to the east which you can see in the colored catch light.\u00a0\u00a0 These lighting conditions made the pupils of the owl huge, which contributed to the feeling of vulnerability I get from the image.\u00a0 The band is just visible on the left ankle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a01\/2500, f\/5.6, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n But I wanted to end with an image showing strength and resilience, rather than vulnerability.\u00a0 To me, this bird looks determined to survive – even a little defiant against long odds.\u00a0 I wish\u00a0it success.<\/p>\n I’ll admit to having some ambivalent\u00a0emotions regarding the\u00a0banding of wild birds.\u00a0 As a nature photographer, I instinctively try to avoid showing the “hand of man” in most of my images and there’s certainly nothing “natural” about a shiny aluminum or brightly colored plastic band.\u00a0 And there’s at least one other bird\u00a0banding project in progress on the island involving a study of food chains and the effects of mercury contamination in the Great Salt Lake.\u00a0 This study will involve many bird species that I photograph, including Loggerhead Shrikes, one of my favorite subjects.<\/p>\n But logic tells me that these banding studies are necessary and serve a valid purpose.\u00a0 So I try<\/em> to put my selfish photographer’s reactions to seeing banded birds aside and support the banding projects, which I do.<\/p>\n I wish both the\u00a0bird researchers and the birds well.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Populations of Burrowing Owls in North America are in sharp decline.\u00a0 They are an Endangered Species in Canada where only about 800 pairs remain as there has been a 73%\u00a0drop in their numbers in that country\u00a0over the last 30 years.\u00a0 They are a species of “special protection” in Mexico and they are “listed” in 9 of the 18 western states in the U.S. that they still occupy. The reason for this disastrous decline is not well understood, but “human activity” is strongly suspected.\u00a0 In order to get a better handle on what is happening to them, multiple banding studies are in progress and that includes Antelope Island. 1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in I first noticed banded juvenile Burrowing Owls on the island this past summer.\u00a0\u00a0 Out of about a dozen juveniles in one area, several of them were banded but it was difficult to get a precise number because they’re hard to tell apart when\u00a0some are in their burrows and the rest are flying all over\u00a0the area. Most of the photos I have of banded owls were taken in early morning light but this one was taken later in the day (as you can tell by the position of the catch light and the angle of the shadows on the eyes), so the light was brighter and harsher. 1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up…<\/p>\n![\"burrowing](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/burrowing-owl-0290-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"burrowing")
1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, shot from pickup window, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"burrowing](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/burrowing-owl-3818-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"burrowing")
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