Shorties

Is the third time a charm? Well it was on one winter day. After two earlier, failed, attempts to see and photograph short-eared owls we went back to Harrier Hill once again, the third time this winter.

As we drove up the hill toward our parking place a female harrier passed within 50 feet of our destination – a good omen perhaps? On the hill to the south the usual group of 10-12 juvenile ravens flew about, occasionally landing on the ground or on one of a line of fenceposts.

For over an hour we waited with only a couple of short glimpses of a harrier flying in the distance before it disappeared over the ridge before us. Short-eared owls are crepuscular, meaning they hunt at twilight, morning and evening. About 45 minutes before sunset four widely separated birds appeared. They flew buoyantly fairly close to the ground, resembling giant moths – short-eared owls !!!!

One bird flew past to our right, lower down the hill, with a fencerow and the valley in the background –

It went on behind us toward the field where the ravens flew. The next bird passed slowly to the left with a wooded hillside in the distance –

Another owl spent some time hunting in the field in front of us, flying slowly. Short-eared owls have long, broad wings and, beneath their feathers, a fairly small body. Although they usually fly rapidly, they can fly slowly and they’re very maneuverable.

When the birds sense prey they often bank sharply and suddenly drop almost straight down –

Gradually the four owls drifted over the ridge behind us and no others appeared. By then the light was fading, making photography difficult, and we decided to head back home, taking a road on the far side of the ridge to our front.

As we headed down that road a short-eared owl flew overhead, soon to be joined by another.

But they were at a distance and the light was, by then, terrible for photography so we went on our way.