Sleepy Short-eared Owl
You looking at me, lady?
Swainson's Hawk juvenile
Swainson's Hawk juvenile
Juvenile Swainson's Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Sweet young owl
Three years later ....
Red-tailed Hawk?
Great Horned Owl on a fence post
Yesterday's Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl juvenile
Merlin
Bald Eagle / Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Yesterday's Bald Eagle
Swainson's Hawk
A favourite subject with photographers
After a busy night of hunting
Yesterday's absolute treat - the size of your fist…
Shadows
One of a pair
Barn Owl
Swainson's Hawk juvenile
Popcan-sized Northern Pygmy-owl, from January 2015
Another surprise on another gloomy day
It's the little guy/gal again
Where countryside and civilization meet
Once was wild
Licorice Allsorts eyes
I spy with my little eye
A welcome addition to our Christmas Bird Count
Always a treat
Northern Pygmy-owl
A most welcome find
Snowy Owl number 5
Two male Snowy Owls in the same field
You never know where you'll see a Snowy Owl
Juvenile Northern Goshawk, feeding
Curious glance from a Great Horned Owl
Two Tropical Screech Owls, Caroni Swamp, Trinidad
A cute, young face
Bald Eagle after a cooling hosepipe shower
Burrowing Owl in the wild
Great Gray Owl #1
Great Gray Owl #2
Great Gray Owl, watching and listening
Great Gray Owl hunting
Bald Eagle getting a hosepipe shower
Great Gray Owl, highly zoomed
Great Gray Owl on the hunt
Far, far away
Great Gray Owl
Burrowing owl in the wild
Great Gray Owl
Sleepy Great Horned Owl
One of yesterday's Great Horned Owls
Almost missed, but gratefully seen
Ferruginous Hawk / Buteo regalis
Great Horned Owlet
Great Horned Owlet
Swainson's Hawk take-off
Enjoying a good meal
Ferruginous Hawk
Spiked hairdo
Barn Owl
Talk about baby fluff!
Flight training with a Red-tailed Hawk
Cooling down
Curious
Time for a nap
I fell in love ....
Who can resist a Burrowing Owl?
Anyone have a comb?
Swainson's Hawk / Buteo swainsoni
A lucky find
Great Horned Owl male
One of three young owls
Watching the watchers
Yesterday's treat!
Mom and her babies
Great Horned Owl and owlet
Northern Hawk Owl with woodland bokeh
A distant shot from my archives
Female Kestrel
Turkey Vulture talons
False eyes and real eyes
01 Barred Owl
02 Bald Eagle in late afternoon sun
Northern Pygmy-owl
Always glad to see a Snowy
Meadow Vole for a late lunch
Northern Hawk Owl
Great Gray Owl, focused
Eyes fixed on supper
Burrowing Owl
Perch with a good view
Such a beautiful owl
Peacefully waiting
Great Gray Owl from 2013
Quietly watching, always alert
Winner with its prey
Northern Hawk Owl
Snowy Owl along the fenceline
Northern Hawk Owl
A backward glance
Atop a utility pole
Meadow Vole for a tasty snack
Northern Hawk Owl
Two of a family of three
Northern Hawk Owl from 2016
Dark-eyed beauty
Yesterday's treat
The size of a popcan
Better than nothing - this is NOT my main photo!
Sleepy Great Horned Owl
Winter on the prairies
Great Gray Owl in early morning sunlight
Great Horned Owl
Ferocious hunter, but looking cute
Continuing the hunt
Northern Pygmy-owl
Snowy Owl in rehab
Turkey Vulture preening
Way, way up
Same tiny Northern Pygmy-owl
See also...
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Short-eared Owl
Needless to say, this is not a photo that was taken in the wild! I would never be able to get such a close shot or even a close view like this, unless the bird was captive for one reason or another. When seen this close, one can see how amazing all those tiny feathers are. I can't tell if this photo needs a bit of brightening, as it is still dark outside this morning. If it does, I will edit it later today.
This particular Short-eared Owl resides at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta. This is a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, including educating the public away from the Centre. Sometimes, a bird is used as a foster parent, too.
I do see this species of owl in the wild, but not very often. Usually when I see one, it is flying or perched far away. Too far away to see any detail at all, which is why I love going to this Centre, to see raptors up close.
This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either far too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for 3 August looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.
The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.
I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.
Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 9,000+ in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Later: after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!
This particular Short-eared Owl resides at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta. This is a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, including educating the public away from the Centre. Sometimes, a bird is used as a foster parent, too.
I do see this species of owl in the wild, but not very often. Usually when I see one, it is flying or perched far away. Too far away to see any detail at all, which is why I love going to this Centre, to see raptors up close.
This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either far too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for 3 August looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.
The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.
I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.
Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 9,000+ in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Later: after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!
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