The Local Owls

With T.O.B.Y. aside, I have recently enjoyed the local owls that I see nearby or out in the desert.  I still have two owls to go on my Big Year, and they are both driving me nuts.  In the meantime, these owls will do.  Here's some photographs of such sequences.

These Great Horned Owls nested at my home patch this year and they were right outside of the Glendale Recharge Ponds.  Seeing the mother stand over the fledglings was epic.

Sometimes angle can be everything.  It seems from this original angle that the owl was simply using this tree as a day roost.  But with a detour to the other side of the tree, one would discover the real reason why the owl was sitting in this rather exposed perch for the day.

Birders often refer to the Great Horned Owl as a "Winged Tiger", and it really does remind me of such at times too.

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This is one of two Burrowing Owls who have made their home at Glendale Recharge Ponds.

I've also gone out to the Salt River more a few times to enjoy up close looks at both Elf Owl and Western Screech-Owl.  A few times I heard Barn Owls calling at night and I also came close to getting my first nocturnal shot off of a Barn Owl flying overhead.  As most know, photographing an owl in the dark that is fairly high isn't going to happen very often.  My times out here came with the fun of helping my friends Melissa, Gordon, Walker, Khanh, and Tyler find these owls.  Here's a selection of photos of the Elf Owls out at the Salt River during these times.

Gosh, it is tiny.  Gosh, it is freaking cool...

When you see the world's smallest owl, there is really no exaggeration..

I don't ever get sick of seeing this owl.  Every time I look at one or show someone one for the first time, we are reminded of how diverse God's great creation really is!

Western Screech-Owls can come across as odd to many people.  Their facial expressions change often and they also sit on perches for long periods of time and can appear quite motionless.  

Then there's the times where they'll look relaxed and extremely good looking.

At another nearby location in Peoria close to me, I got to see another brood of young Great Horned Owls.  I enjoyed the views I had of these two siblings.

Their father/mother was also nearby, and kept a close eye on me as I was in the area.  Nearby was a bike path and a busy bridge.  It's really crazy how a raptor like this can thrive with many humans around constantly.

In spring and summer, my five local owls:  Barn, Great Horned, Burrowing, Western Screech, and Elf, can provide some cool memories!