Short eared owl

ByDawn

A wonderful first for me today. I’ve always wanted to see and photograph Short-eared owls, but I’ve never quite managed it, for some reason they have always eluded me. So today, on the advice of the wonderful and talented John Richardson (CLICK to have a look at his blog) I headed over to a beautiful stretch of Suffolk coastline. Soon after arriving, the astonishing sight of a brown patterned owl gliding nonchalantly across open water. Upon reaching the rough grass alongside the path, he began to hunt, buoyant in flight just like a Barn owl, but larger, more powerful. On long wings he quartered across the field, pouncing into the grass, and showing off his attractive brown and cream checker pattern markings. Hovering lightly in the breeze, allowing me a photo despite the terrible light, then gliding down the bank. With an attitude as fierce as his stunning yellow eyes, he silently slides past no more than ten paces away on rounded wings, ignoring his various watching admirers. An incredible experience that I won’t forget any time soon. I hope I’ll be able to get back there in better light, but for now, here’s something a bit artistic…

Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus, hunting, Suffolk. March

(Click images to view larger…)

If you like what you see, please consider sharing![social_share/]
UK & Eire Natural History Bloggers

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnMonroseNaturePhotography

Current favourite books, click for more info:

Similar Posts

  • Peek-a-boo

    ByDawn

    Over the Fen this morning, couldn’t resist photographing this little rabbit as he peeked out of his burrow at me. Sunshine and showers kept the Sedge and Reed warblers hiding low in the vegetation, but the Cuckoo was still singing away. Five Roe deer were very camera shy, only the rabbits would let me photograph…

  • Sedge Warbler

    ByDawn

    Out on the Fen again this morning, a lovely sunny start, but a little frosty too. Starting to get there with the Sedge Warbler’s I think. They seemed a little quiet, perhaps because of the Cuckoo calling close by. Walking through the dew, with birds singing all around, I came across a Roe deer buck,…

  • Exhibition News

    ByDawn

    I am very excited to announce that I will be exhibiting my work in Santiago’s Art Café in Botesdale, Suffolk. It’s actually my first exhibition in many, many years, so I’m really looking forward to it. There’s something about seeing photos printed that is so refreshing in our increasingly digital world, and that was one…

  • Spring Bluebells

    ByDawn

    It’s been a few years since I last photographed Bluebells, they are such stunningly beautiful flowers, both en-mass and close up. Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Wayland Wood is a fantastic place to see them. Spring is my favourite time of year, and Spring in a woodland is simply glorious. The first thing that greets you is…

  • Spot the bird

    ByDawn

    Wildlife photographers have a habit of showing only their very best work, which is of course understandable. It does leave aspiring wildlife photographers a little disillusioned or disappointed with their own efforts, because it’s a fact that for every amazing photo taken, there’s ten, twenty, or a hundred (or more!) ‘misses’. After all, we’re dealing…

  • Close encounters

    ByDawn

    A dull and dreary start to the day at the Fen, with a heavy blanket of low cloud and mist. Nothing doing with the Sedge and Reed warblers, they were keeping low down in the reedbed, but still singing. Spotted the Little Grebe on his regular pool, shame there’s nowhere to get a clear view…

3 Comments

  1. Wow, what a lovely sight that must have been. I like the black and white photo, I think it shows the way he’s concentrating on searching for his prey in sharp detail. Well done.

Leave a Reply