As I do every year, I close things out with recap videos of some of the cool photo subjects I have photographed during my photo year (Oct – Sep). Kicking things off, let’s go with a subject everyone loves – owls! I was fortunate to photograph five species of owls during the period from the diminutive burrowing owl and eastern screech owl to bigger long eared owls, a short eared owl (captive) and great horned owls. Enjoy the show and keep an eye out for a new slideshow each day through the end of the year.
Wide-eyed short-eared owl keeping watch
A way cool bird! I frequent areas of the plains where these guys are found but have never seen one in the wild. At a recent photoshoot with HawkQuest, I finally got to see one in person.
This particular owl was found tangled in a barbed wire fence in Kansas and, unfortunately, lost much of its right wing. As a result, it couldn’t be released back into the wild but it has a new lease on life as an educational ambassador with the non-profit organization.
This is probably my favorite capture of it from the day as it does a nice job showcasing its beautiful plumage and those brilliant, yellow eyes. As a bonus, we get a great look at the deadly talons and even its ear tufts.
