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

  • Shieldbug

    ByDawn

    Not had much time for photography of late, which is a shame as there is so much to photograph! This interesting creature is a Forest Shieldbug, which hitched a ride on the outside of my car. When we arrived home he flew off onto the wooden fence, against which he was quite well camouflaged. I…

  • Here and there

    ByDawn

    Over on the Fen first thing this morning, the Sedge Warblers were quiet again, but the Reed Warblers were singing away. Their song is softer than the harsh, scratchy tune of the Sedge Warblers, more bouncing, more musical. They were busy collecting nesting material, hopping up the reeds to choose a few strands of fluffy…

  • The Dawn Chorus

    ByDawn

    I got up this Sunday morning early enough to hear the start of the dawn chorus. The Song Thrush began, backed by the local Blackbirds, then Robins and Wrens. A Blue tit joins in with a simple trill, and a Woodpigeon adds his two penny worth too. Their voices merge into a wall of beautiful…

  • Yellow and Green

    ByDawn

    Oh the exquisite British Summer, hot, sunny and humid for a week or two then back to the dreary drizzle of rain. The slugs in my garden are alarmingly huge this year, and they have eaten their way through most of my bee friendly flowers, but the little patch of Golden Rod I’ve left is…

  • This Weekend

    ByDawn

    I’ve not had very much chance to get out with the camera of late, and this weekend wasn’t much better either! With the dull weather I decided to do some work in the garden, and as I was sowing some seeds all the Woodpigeons in the hedgerow scattered, and the small birds dived for cover….

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