<< Previous Next >>

Burrowing Owlet


Burrowing Owlet
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-07-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D DIGITAL, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-01-01 17:57
Viewed: 4040
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is one of five Burrowing Owlets that I have posted before. If you have never experienced Borrowing Owls before, let me tell you they are amazing. They bob up and down, the make clicking noises and peeps, they move thier heads side to side and they run in and out of thier burrow. This little guys' curiousity got the better of him and he needed to get close to that big bump on the ground, me. This is the result.

Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
General Description

By Nora Bryan


This endangered owl is just "hanging on" on the northern limits of its range in southeastern Alberta. These small owls wing south for winter, as far as Texas or Mexico, and possibly farther.

The Burrowing Owl is a specialist of the open plains. Flat stretches of lightly grazed short grass prairie, undisturbed by human activity and unpolluted by pesticide residue are necessary for this gregarious owl's success. It can be spotted in daylight standing on a mound near its nest entrance or on a fence post as it prepares for an evening hunt.

In the daytime, these long-legged owls run about the nest site snatching up insects such as grasshoppers and dung beetles that abound in the short grass prairie. At night, the adults take to wing, cruising silently for mice and voles.

The burrowing owl doesn't actually dig out it's own burrow but rather nests in abandoned ground squirrel or badger burrows. A bit of refurbishment is done by a pair -- digging dirt and flinging it out of the burrow with their feet. The nest is fashioned from a bit of dried vegetation or some dried cattle manure at the end of the burrow. Six to ten white eggs are laid. The owlets can protect themselves in the burrow by making alarm calls that sound like a riled up rattlesnake. At about six weeks old, the young owls are fledged.
lovenature, eqshannon, jaycee, uleko, Argus, SelenE, CeltickRanger, Alex99, Miss_Piggy, earthtraveler, NinaM has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • RP1 Gold Star Critiquer [C: 154 W: 1 N: 6] (251)
  • [2008-01-01 18:17]

Salit Rick,
Superbe photo! J'aime les grand yeux de cet oiseau. Beaux détails, belle composition et belles couleurs.
Félicitation et Bonne Année de photos.
Roger

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2008-01-01 19:27]

Hi Rick,
Outstanding beginning to the new year. Wonderful shot. Wish you give us such beautiful images to enjoy throughout 2008, MF. I eagerly look foward to every moment here on TN with you and our entire community.
HAPPY NEW YEAR and a GREAT COMING 366 DAYS.
Regards.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-01-01 20:01]

Hi Rick,

This owl is all eyes - you must have been some sight for him. Lucky for you that he was so curious. You got a fantastic shot of him. The details are just wonderful - the face is amazing. Beautiful soft colors - looks like a painting with a wonderful model. Great first post of the year.

Jane

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-01-02 1:14]

Hello Rick,
It must be great fun to watch the behaviour of these Owls. Very fine shot of this cute little one with its long legs! Beautiful light and fine sharp details. I like the low POV and the soft pastel background too.
TFS, Ulla

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3879] (13882)
  • [2008-01-02 2:07]

Hi Rick,
kinda like the Meer Kat of the bird world then eh? I remember your previous posts of these amazing and fascinating creatures, and this one is just as good. Great eye contact, lovely natural colours and the low POV works so well - very well done!
Paul

Great capture Rick. I am still waiting for that day to get my decent owl shots. So far I had no luck whatsoever. Maybe one day!
For now, I get to enjoy shots like yours. I really like the POV and DOF. The fact that you got down to their level works very well in this picture. Great work.
Martin

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-01-02 4:37]

Hello Rick,
This is a great portrait of a Burrowing Owl that you have taken from your archives. The sharpness, composition, lighting and low POV are all excellent.
Thanks for sharing this: I didn't know that they were found as far north as Alberta.
Ivan

Gosh Rick..I am looking at your angle here...you are so agile..I only wish I could get down that low...and maybe I could with a bit of pain, but getting back up would take a helping hand..not because of weight mind you but because Neuropathy discombobulates the system of balance besides dumbing the nerve endings...so consider yourself as a prone position photographer...not a bad thing..You get into their face that way as you did here...Super shot..and my last two cents for the day as well...Peace..Tomorrow is already the 2nd day of the new year...time -passes quickly..
Bob

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2008-01-02 7:29]

Hello Rick, this one made me smile, look at those eyes and pose ! Fantastic shot, the details, the exposure and the composition are all very good. Well done again, thanks !

Mario

Hi Rick,
Outstanding image; a wonderful animal you captured here. Further on you got very good light...
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hi Rick
The stare this little guy is giving you is amazing. His eyes are so big and round, I guess good for keeping a look out. A nice portrait showing off his long legs and beautiful feathers. I like your notes too.
TFS Janice :D

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2008-01-02 10:37]

Hello Rick,
Wow, what a beauty! The low POV makes this photo to a masterpiece. Great sharpness, natural colours, fabulous surroundings and excellent composition and BG.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 586 W: 12 N: 1682] (6165)
  • [2008-01-02 10:52]

Hello Rick,
I don't have much time today so, I just want to
congratulate you for this wonderful capture and wish
you a wonderful new year.. 2 days in!

Everton

Hello Rick,
Ahhh poor little thing, doesn't look too good in his first portrait does he..!
But in a few weeks things will be better for sure...
Great pose, fine details, nice work!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2008-01-02 13:27]

Hi Rick,
The pose you captured of this curious cute fellow looks lovely :o) TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

hello Rick

great shot, good sharp details of his plumage, if yoi examinde well
his head, it gives that he is wearing eyeglasses (lunettes)
and that yellow eyes are doing excellent contrast with
the rest colours of all the image, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-01-04 9:56]

Hi Rick.
Simply charming picture of so beautiful owl. Surroundings are amazing too. It looks as from majestic fairy-tail. Superb soft light and brilliant pose and reproduction of the plumage and other wonderful details. BG and FG are supplement the main subject greatly. It is true masterpiece. Bravo.
Alexei.

Hallo Rick

Thanks for welcoming me to Trek Nature. I appreciate your visit and the positive critique you left me. I am sure I’ll enjoy every moment and that my knowledge about nature and everything involved will grow daily.
This owlet is looking straight at you and I am sure it is posing to. Did you pull some kind of faces that the guy got dumbstruck and could not move? It is as it is hypnotised by something in the direction where you where. Just look at the big yellow eyes, just staring your way. To me it looks as if the plumage was combed for the occasion. Every feather is in place. I like the different kinds of greenery in the background.
Thanks for sharing the photo and the interesting note.
Kind regards
Anna

Hi Rick,
This owl is too cute!
It looks proud to be your model.
Great pose/low pov..big bump :-)
Very good detail and dof.
TFS, Richard

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer [C: 773 W: 3 N: 1157] (4077)
  • [2008-01-13 18:23]

Hi Rick, as I am late in visiting your gallery, here's my visit of the day and I want to point out this beautiful, gorgeous, most wonderful little baby owl. This is such a distinguished portrait of this little bird! I love its long legs, the beauty in its eyes and the nice surrounding blurred, soft and creamy. What a charming owl. My book on trees by David Suzuki has a whole chapter on this endangered species. Thanks for the interesting notes too!

Francine

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF