Owls bugged, grub, interloped

JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
edited June 6, 2008 in Wildlife
I took advantage of a brief cool spell one evening last week to check out the burrowing owls near the Salton Sea, a place I have been many times before. Some of their usual haunts were nearly vacant. Worrisome.

1. No laughing matter, a biting fly is on the other eyelid.

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2. I was experimenting with backlighting when this owl's mate brought home the grub. The sun is just above the horizon directly behind this owl. The front light is reflected off the ground.

97952218.jpg


3. Interlope ground squirrels. Not antelope, these roundtail ground squirrels are now occupying the habitat where the burrowing owls used to be most abundant. Harry could have told'em so.

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Comments

  • JavaLoverJavaLover Registered Users Posts: 306 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2008
    Very nice photos. I really like the lighting on the owls and the squirrels are cute anyway. :D
    Canon 40D, stock lens and now a Canon 55mm-250mm f/4-5.6 IS.
    tfarley.smugmug.com
  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2008
    The lighting is lovely and you caught your subjects very nicely. Nice work.
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2008
    excellent captureswings.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2008
    Very nice John. I too like the one image with the grub. I hope things pick up at Salton Sea.
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    that light in the first shot is great thumb.gif I heard the same thing from 2 guys that went last month headscratch.gif
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    Great shots John! clap.gif Love em!
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    JavaLover wrote:
    Very nice photos. I really like the lighting on the owls and the squirrels are cute anyway. :D

    Thanks very much, JL.
    John
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    dbaker1221 wrote:
    excellent captureswings.gif

    Thank you, Dave.
    John
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    Maestro wrote:
    Very nice John. I too like the one image with the grub. I hope things pick up at Salton Sea.

    Stephen,
    Thanks very much.
    I'll check with the biologists out there to see if they know what's happening. I suspect it was recent work on the dirt road. The owls are pretty vulnerable while they are in their burrows--and this is nesting season
    John
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    evil eggplant wrote:
    The lighting is lovely and you caught your subjects very nicely. Nice work.

    Thanks e e!
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    jwear wrote:
    that light in the first shot is great thumb.gif I heard the same thing from 2 guys that went last month headscratch.gif

    Thank you, Jeff. I went out there a couple months ago, too, but the wind was howling, and I thought the owls were just hiding out. It's interesting to hear others are seeing the same thing over time. The weather was perfect--barely a breeze--when I took these shots, so that rules out the wind factor. On this last trip I had a chance to talk with one of the zanjeros (canal men--water controllers), but he didn't know where the owls had gone. I'll try to find out what's happening.
    Regards, John
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    raptorcaptor wrote:
    Great shots John! clap.gif Love em!

    Thanks very much, Glenn. I haven't had much time lately to get out into the field. Hope to see you out there.
    John
  • GiphsubGiphsub Registered Users Posts: 2,662 Major grins
    edited June 2, 2008
    wow! I love each of these photos! clap.gif Thanks for sharing.
    Mike Helbig

    http://www.michaelhelbigphotography.com
    http://www.thewildpig.blogspot.com
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2008
    Giphsub wrote:
    wow! I love each of these photos! clap.gif Thanks for sharing.
    Mike --- Thanks. I hope these birds survive for more photo sessions.... --- John
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 6, 2008
    Outstanding John. clap.gif The first capture is a real wall hanger.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • JohnDCJohnDC Registered Users Posts: 379 Major grins
    edited June 6, 2008
    Harryb wrote:
    Outstanding John. clap.gif The first capture is a real wall hanger.

    Thanks, Harry--a real compliment coming from you. I'm glad you weren't offended by the interloping ground squirrels.
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