Short-eared Owl / Asio flammeus

A brief update on the Facebook issue: the photographer responsible for the posting has now deleted the post and all the angry, accusing comments left by people who changed the subject from road safety to people going out to photograph owls far too often, taking too many photos, etc., etc.. Thank goodness, I can now try and forget the whole thing, though it really doesn't make me look forward to going anywhere to take photos.

On the day I took this photo, my actual reason for driving east of the city was to go and introduce myself to one of the local landowners in that area. About a week before, her Grandson had been curious about what people were doing, parked along the side of the roads. He told me that his Grandmother was really nervous and afraid, wondering what we were up to. Understandably so, as there is so much crime in rural areas. I had reassured him that anyone in any cars were photographers, interested only in seeing and photographing the special owls that were on their land. He invited me to go in and meet his Grandma, but I had to explain to him that my night vision for driving is bad and that I needed to try and get back to the city before it got dark (ended up driving in the dark!). I told him that I would call in another day and I wanted to make sure that I did this. So, the night before I returned, I had printed out a photo that I had taken a week ago of one of these Short-eared Owls, perched on a post in their field. Also printed a Snowy Owl and a Great Horned Owl for them, and we had an enjoyable chat about the different kinds of owl. I do hope this lady feels safer now that she knows exactly what everyone is doing. Farmers in the area are not happy with the situation, though.