Owls are not the easiest bird to photograph, mostly because they're nocturnal, pursuing prey at night and sleeping during the day. The burrowing owl takes exception to this behavior by hunting when there is daylight, in addition to exhibiting another non owl-like trait by living underground.
In my own birding pursuits I've had to settle on seeing owls mostly roosting quietly and safely hidden in a tree's canopy. I've often thought that it might be more rewarding to record an owl's hoots rather than take a picture of him since the great horned owl's deep and resonating nighttime calls are as much a part of Arizona's nightly sounds as crickets, coyotes, barking dogs and automobile traffic.
During a very good span of birding last week I was especially excited to see a western screech owl at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix one morning. It might be my third encounter in the wild with this diminutive bird who is apparently more often heard than seen. But I don't think I've ever noticed his high, bouncing ball-like hoots, so I'll consider myself extremely lucky for the frequent sightings I've had. And who knows, maybe during nighttime hikes or runs I'll start devoting as much time listening for him as I do during the day seeking him out.
In my own birding pursuits I've had to settle on seeing owls mostly roosting quietly and safely hidden in a tree's canopy. I've often thought that it might be more rewarding to record an owl's hoots rather than take a picture of him since the great horned owl's deep and resonating nighttime calls are as much a part of Arizona's nightly sounds as crickets, coyotes, barking dogs and automobile traffic.
During a very good span of birding last week I was especially excited to see a western screech owl at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix one morning. It might be my third encounter in the wild with this diminutive bird who is apparently more often heard than seen. But I don't think I've ever noticed his high, bouncing ball-like hoots, so I'll consider myself extremely lucky for the frequent sightings I've had. And who knows, maybe during nighttime hikes or runs I'll start devoting as much time listening for him as I do during the day seeking him out.
 |
| Western screech owl at the Desert Botanical Garden this week. |
 |
| Western screech owl at the Desert Botanical Garden this week. |
 |
| Western screech owl at the Desert Botanical Garden this week. |
 |
| Western screech owl at the Desert Botanical Garden earlier this year. |
 |
| Western screech owl in its saguaro cactus nest, in Phoenix in 2016. |
 |
| Western screech owl on its handler's glove, at Liberty Wildlife, a rescue and rehabilitation facility in Phoenix, 2017. |
Comments
Post a Comment