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

  • Small Copper

    ByDawn

    Went out this weekend to a patch of heathland try and photograph these little beauties. The overcast weather seemed to make them not very obliging and it was difficult to get very close, so I opted for some ‘in habitat’ style shots, which I quite like. Not bad for a first go with these tiny…

  • Wayland Wood

    ByDawn

    Visited Wayland Wood in Norfolk for the first time yesterday. The wood at this time of year is filled with birdsong and bluebells, and yesterday, the patter of raindrops on newly unfurled leaves. The dull, damp conditions would have been great for close up photography, but an annoying little breeze made it very difficult. When…

  • Sculthorpe Moor

    ByDawn

    Sunday morning was beautifully sunny so I headed over to the Fen, where disappointingly there were no more exotics! All was a bit quiet, except for lots of small birds chirping away. After a long walk, I returned home with exactly zero photos. Not a problem really, I’d say 90% of a wildlife photographers time…

  • Tales from the Riverbank

    ByDawn

    The thin January light seeps through Winter’s brown stems, warming the muddy tones faintly golden. The cold grips my limbs despite three layers, as I sit frozen to the damp riverbank. A Blackbird whispers his subsong in the cool sunlight, practising for when Spring arrives. The water is high, and the river flows fast, eddies…

  • Not Otters

    ByDawn

    Sometimes you can try too hard. My lovely boss let me have the day off (thanks!) and to make the most of every minute, and hoping to avoid other photographers, I was out at first light – first car in the car park.  Nothing doing. Retracing my steps up and down the rivers, still nothing….

  • Crimson and Blue

    ByDawn

    Just a quick update on my recent photography, trying to do as much as possible to reach my ‘Big 30‘ goal. This lovely flower with it’s pretty twirled petals is Crimson Clover, it is a native, but is commonly grown in a cover crop mix, or as green manure. This one caught my eye on…

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