Asio flammeus – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Fledgling Short-eared Owl in Tumbleweeds

By Mia McPherson|May 27th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: Asio flammeus, birds of prey, fence, fledgling, owls, Owls of Utah, Short-eared Owl, tumbleweeds|

How could I resist taking images of a fledgling Short-eared Owl in tumbleweeds? I just couldn't.

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Low Light Female Short-eared Owl Blur

By Mia McPherson|May 26th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, blur, desert, female, low light, owl, owls, ranchlands, rousing, shaking, Short-eared Owl, spring|

I know that blurs aren't everyone's cup of tea but I have grown quite fond of this beautiful, shaking, Short-eared Owl blur.

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Northern Utah Short-eared Owl Chicks

By Mia McPherson|May 24th, 2016|Categories: Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: Asio flammeus, birds of prey, chicks, close up, fledglings, owlets, owls, parallaxing, portrait, sagebrush, Short-eared Owl, winking|

It felt amazing to be alone with these northern Utah Short-eared Owl chicks for a few brief moments yesterday.

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Side lit Short-eared Owl Male

By Mia McPherson|May 18th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, desert, male, owl, owls, perched, ranchlands, Short-eared Owl, side light, side lit|

I liked this image of the side lit Short-eared Owl more than I thought I could.

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Burrowing and Short-eared Owls in May – Satisfying my Owl Obsession

By Mia McPherson|May 15th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, Athene cunicularia, birds of prey, Burrowing Owl, male, moth-like flight, owls, Owls of Utah, perched, Short-eared Owl|

I am thoroughly enjoying photographing Burrowing and Short-eared Owls in May and satisfying my owl obsession.

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Short-eared Owls – Nomadic and Enchanting

By Mia McPherson|May 13th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: Asio flammeus, birds of prey, female, fence post, male, owls, Owls of Utah, perched, Short-eared Owl|

This year I've seen far more Short-eared Owls in Utah than I have since I moved here in 2009 and I've been enjoying photographing these nomadic and enchanting owls for over a month.

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The Day My Short-eared Owl Obsession Began

By Mia McPherson|April 27th, 2016|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, female, low light, male, obsession, owl, owls, perched, Short-eared Owl|

Six years ago today I photographed my first Short-eared Owl in low light at Bear River MBR and it was the day my obsession and fascination with these beautiful owls began.

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Short-eared Owl Nictitating Membrane

By Mia McPherson|April 11th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, diurnal, eye protection, male, metal post, nictitating membrane, owls, perched, ranchlands, Short-eared Owl, spring, third eyelid, translucent, transparent, yellow eyes|

This image shows a Short-eared Owl nictitating membrane that is partially exposed. The dark line near the center of the eye is the edge of the nictitating membrane.

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More Owls, Turkey Vultures plus a Third Year Bald Eagle

By Mia McPherson|April 5th, 2016|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: age progression, Asio flammeus, Athene cunicularia, Bald Eagle, Burrowing Owl, Cathartes aura, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, pair, preened, roused, Short-eared Owl, spread wing posture, sunning, thermoregulation, third year, Turkey Vulture|

I mentioned in my post about Short-eared Owls yesterday that I saw Burrowing Owls, Turkey Vultures and a third year Bald Eagle juvenile in northern Utah so I thought I would share a few more images form the northern Utah excursion.

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Northern Utah Short-eared Owls

By Mia McPherson|April 4th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, attack, barbed wire, Canis latrans, Coyote, fence post, male, owl, owls, Owls of Utah, perched, post, Short-eared Owl, spring, tumbleweeds, wooden post|

Yesterday it was the northern Utah Short-eared Owls that made me so very glad that I am a bird photographer and that for a little while I am part of their world.

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Short-eared Owl in Tooele County, Utah

By Mia McPherson|March 1st, 2016|Categories: Birds, James W Fitzgerald WMA, Short-eared Owls, Tooele County, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, desert, fence post, owl, owls, Owls of Utah, perched, Short-eared Owl, spring|

It has been a while since I photographed this Short-eared Owl in Tooele County at the James W. Fitzgerald WMA

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Welcome September…

By Mia McPherson|September 1st, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Black Skimmers, Box Elder County, Cliff Lake, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Madison County, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: Alectoris chukar, Antilocapra americana, Ardea herodias, Asio flammeus, Black Skimmer, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo swainsoni, Chukar, Great Blue Heron, Pronghorn, Red-tailed Hawk, Rynchops niger, Short-eared Owl, Swainson's Hawk|

The first day of September signals to me that cooler weather is arriving so I took a look back at some of the images I have taken in September from 2008 on.

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I am Missing Short-eared Owls

By Mia McPherson|July 24th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, female, owl, owls, perched, Short-eared Owl|

It has been a few years since I have seen Short-eared Owls with any regularity and I really miss seeing these beautiful owls.

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Mourning Dove in the Stansbury Mountains and a few bonus Short-Eared Owls

By Mia McPherson|May 22nd, 2015|Categories: Birds, James W Fitzgerald WMA, Mourning Doves, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: Asio flammeus, birds of prey, dove, doves, fence post, Mourning Dove, owl, owls, Owls of Utah, perched, post, Short-eared Owl, wooden post, Zenaida macroura|

When I spotted this Mourning Dove perched on an old fence post in the morning light I couldn't resist photographing it.

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Short-eared Owl photobombed by a butterfly

By Mia McPherson|May 21st, 2015|Categories: Birds, Glacier County, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, cabbage butterfly, Conservation Reserve Program, CRP land, fence post, owl, owls, Short-eared Owl, summer, wooden post|

My only wish for this image is that the butterfly had been as sharply in focus as the Short-eared Owl was but with bird photography you never know what might show up in the frame.

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Happy Howlidays

By Mia McPherson|December 24th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, bird photography, birds, Davis County, low light, owl, owls, Short-eared Owl, snow|

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve with your family, friends and loved ones.

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Male Short-eared Owl in evening light

By Mia McPherson|May 28th, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, evening light, flight, flying, male, owls, Owls of Montana, Short-eared Owl|

The nicknames for Short-eared Owls are many and include Evening Owl, Mouse-hawk, Marsh Owl, Bog Owl and Flat-faced Owl but I just call them Shorties in the field.

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Goofy look from a Short-eared Owl in Montana

By Mia McPherson|April 19th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Glacier County, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, evening light, owls, Owls of Montana, perched, Short-eared Owl|

Most of the time the birds and animals I photograph look majestic, elegant or their poses convey action but some times they look just plain goofy.

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Female Short-eared Owl on a snowy day

By Mia McPherson|January 28th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, female, fog, foggy, owl, owls, Owls of Utah, rabbitbrush, Short-eared Owl, snow, snowy, winter|

One year ago today the sky was cloudy, the fog was thick and the snow was blowing in northern Utah. I couldn't see the tops of the mountains or across the Great Salt Lake but I did spot this Short-eared Owl perched on a snow-covered bush on the causeway my way to Antelope Island.

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Short-eared Owls photographed in fog and evening light

By Mia McPherson|January 20th, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Glacier County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, bird photography, birds of prey, evening light, female, fog, male, owl, owls, Owls of Montana, perched, Short-eared Owl|

Both images are appealing to me because I enjoy the foggy softness of the female Short-eared Owl image and the warm, golden tones of the male Short-eared Owl photo.

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Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana

By Mia McPherson|December 29th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Glacier County, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, bird photography, birds, birds of prey, Conservation Reserve Program, CRP land, ear tuft, fence post, male, owl, owls, Owls of Montana, perched, Short-eared Owl, summer|

Two years ago I photographed this male Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana on a fence post on the perimeter of some CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) land on an August evening.

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Owl See You at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

By Mia McPherson|May 6th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, Centennial Mountains, chick, ear tufts, female, fledgling, flight, flying, fog, immature, low light, male, mountains, nest, owl, owls, photography, prey, sagebrush, Short-eared Owl, valley, wooden post, young|

I've said before that owls fascinate me; probably more times than I can count, and Short-eared Owls are always a delight.

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Short-eared Owl in a fog

By Mia McPherson|February 9th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, desert island, ear tufts, female, fog, foggy, high key, low light, owl, owls, perched, Short-eared Owl, snow, snowy, winter, yellow eyes|

Isn't this Short-eared Owl lovely with her big yellow eyes? It had been a while since I had seen a Short-eared Owl and I was quite surprised when I spotted her on top of some snow-covered Rabbitbrush late last month along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park.

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Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

By Mia McPherson|December 2nd, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: Asio flammeus, bird photography, birds of prey, ear tufts, female, fence post, owl, owls, Owls of Montana, perched, Short-eared Owl|

Due to a crash in the vole population at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge last summer there weren't many Short-eared Owls around the refuge but the few that were there were real beauties.

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Male Short-eared Owl in low light

By Mia McPherson|September 16th, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, ear tufts, flight, flying, low light, male, owl, owls, Owls of Montana, Short-eared Owl, summer, valley, wet meadow|

I don't always get what I want though; for example, I wanted this male Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) I photographed at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Montana in good light.

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Short-eared Owl bathed in evening light

By Mia McPherson|August 15th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Glacier County, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: Asio flammeus, birds of prey, ear tufts, evening light, male, owls, perched, Short-eared Owl|

This Short-eared Owl image was taken just a little over a year ago in Glacier County, Montana. I still remember how cooperative this male was, the gorgeous golden light of the setting sun and the great location.

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Short-eared Owl in Evening Light

By Mia McPherson|July 20th, 2012|Categories: Glacier County, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: Asio flammeus, bird photography, birds of prey, ear tufts, evening light, fence post, male, owls, Owls of Montana, perched, Short-eared Owl, sunset|

This male Short-eared Owl in evening light was photographed last year in Glacier County, Montana not too long before the sun set.

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Montana is beckoning to me…

By Mia McPherson|May 7th, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Cliff Lake, Eastern Kingbirds, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Gravelly Range, Great Horned Owls, Madison County, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Pronghorn, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Tree Swallows, Wilson's Snipes|Tags: Antilocapra americana, Asio flammeus, Bubo virginianus, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo swainsoni, Cliff Lake, Eastern Kingbird, Gallinago delicata, Great Horned Owl, homestead, immature, juvenile, Madison Range, Madison River, Mountain Bluebird, Pronghorn, Red-tailed Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Sialia currucoides, Swainson's Hawk, Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow, Tyrannus tyrannus, Wilson's Snipe|

Seeing the word "Montana" so often has gotten me anxious, antsy and itching to head north soon to see more of a state that beckons to me because I have fallen in love with it.

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Flat tires, Cattle, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Glacier National Park and Short-eared Owls

By Mia McPherson|August 20th, 2011|Categories: Alapacas, American Avocets, Cut Bank, Glacier National Park, Humor, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: alfalfa, Alpacas, Asio flammeus, Big Sky Sports & Service, bird photography, birds, cattle, Centennial Mountains, Centennial Valley, conservation grazing, CRP land, ear tufts, early morning, fencepost, flat tires, fog, forests, Going-to-the-Sun-Road, grasslands, Lima, low light, mountains, nature, photography, Recurvirostra americana, Rod Wellington, sagebrush, Short-eared Owl, views, wildlife, willows|

Life is an adventure. I can't deny that, ever. There are times when there are bumps in the road, smooth sailing, or a multitude of mishaps that occur in a single journey.

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Friday Photos – Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana

By Mia McPherson|August 19th, 2011|Categories: Glacier County, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, birds of prey, Conservation Reserve Program, CRP, Cut Bank, ear tufts, fence post, male, owl, owls, Owls of Montana, perched, Short-eared Owl, summer|

I am always looking for the unexpected birds to show up in locations where I might not expect them them to be and this Short-eared Owl was a bit of a nice surprise.

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