A Little Time for Owls

Things have been pretty intense school-wise these days, but I am nearing the end of the semester and the sun has started shining, so there are certainly things to be grateful for. Squeezing in a few short outings to check out the local wildlife certainly ranks high on that list.

A few weeks back, I took a little trip to a nearby refuge with my mom to see what we might find. I was in search of a northern saw-whet owl, specifically. Although I still couldn’t check that one off my life list, we did have the pleasure of locating the nest for a pair of Great Horned Owls I’ve been watching since 2020. Though we had the opportunity to get a closer view, it would’ve been too much for these beautiful parents’ comfort, so we opted to keep our distance. As a result, the photos are not the kind you’d print up for your wall, but it was a joy to see them nesting anyway. Hopefully, we will have some little ones fledged in the area soon!

Can you spot mama on the nest?

Can you spot papa watching nearby?

It was several weeks after finding the Great Horned Owl nest before I could get out again. Unfortunately, my first attempt at finding something to photograph was another strikeout. My husband and I went up to Rexburg to see if we could figure out where the Great Gray Owls come to visit, but we could not locate even a sign of them. However, we found a nice little trail and encountered this adorable Downy Woodpecker. Plus, we got to spend some quality husband and wife time exploring the area, which is always a treat.

Thankfully, after the disappointing trip to Rexburg, yesterday proved eventful! While my family stayed behind at our campsite, I took off for a few hours to see what I could find. Driving through nature was a much-needed, relaxing experience, but it was even more restorative because I was lucky enough to see plenty of animals! On my way from the site, I noticed a moose resting in a field. Again, the pictures weren’t great because of the lighting and distance, but seeing her so unexpectedly was a real treat.

Shortly after running into the moose, I stopped because a gorgeous male pheasant crossed the road, and I noticed a red-tailed hawk nearby. I snapped a few quick photos of the hawk before I went on my way, and I was more than happy to have seen so much in just a few minutes.

However, From that point, it was time to get to business. I was on a mission, and that mission was to see if the Burrowing Owls I located last year had returned to nest again. I drove far out into the desert, listening to some of my favorite music and scanning the landscape diligently. When I passed the first location, I noticed some promising dirt mounds but saw no sign of movement. I was bummed but decided to forge ahead to a second location. I drove slowly, still keeping my eyes peeled to see if any new burrows had been dug. I didn’t want to have tunnel vision and miss something, but when I reached the second location, there were no signs of any owls at all. I’d pretty much decided they hadn’t returned this year, but I decided to go and check the first location one more time before throwing in the towel. That was the nest that had the two really charismatic owls last year, and they were such a blast to photograph.

My hopes weren’t especially high, but as I approached the first location again, I noticed movement on top of the mound I’d seen earlier. My heart skipped as I smiled and drove a little closer. I stopped the car and shifted seats, peering from a distance through my telephoto lens to see a single owl trying to figure me out! I was beyond excited, though I wasn’t sure if it was the same owl from the year before or not, as last year there was a pair. I snapped a few pictures before driving ahead and parking my car somewhere out of the way, distant, and without any grass obstructing the view. When I peered through my lens again, I was thrilled to find two Burrowing Owls looking back at me, trying to decide whether they were comfortable with me.

Giving me the old stink-eye

Thankfully, as I watched them, they relaxed and came further from their burrow. They preened and fluffed and sometimes stretched or closed their eyes. They glanced at me occasionally but didn’t seem to mind, so I sat for about an hour. To my surprise and delight, they mated several times, which I’ve never seen owls do before.

I believe this is the same pair I photographed last year, and I’ve decided to nickname them Ricky and Lucy because they’re very affectionate with each other but also totally sassy and charismatic.

I hope to see some little owlets soon.

I will share more pictures from what I hope will be many future visits with this sweet pair.

As a final stroke of good luck, just when I was about to leave, a Shored-Eared Owl flew over me with a meal in its talons. It was much too dark to snag a good photo, but here is the image I managed to capture on the way out.

After a long stretch of intense work and bad luck, seeing so many animals in one day feels like a blessing. I believe it will help me make it through to a, hopefully, more restful period during summer.

Short-Eared Owl checking me out on its way to settle down and eat.