The Thing

Wonderful series !!
JR

A terrific series.

A fitting end to a terrific series!

wow what a moment three thumbs up!!!! Overall quality is stunning....

I'm really enjoying your Burrowing Owl series, Ron. First rate stuff.

Awesome shot Ron! I definitely have never seen this behavior either. I usually see them going after large bugs, not larger birds. Must have been incredible to witness this live. Great shot!

I just checked out your series on these guys Ron. An excellent collection you are creating. Love the intense look in this ones face, the details are awesome too.

Ken Archer

Wow, Ron! This is amazing! I love the head-on look of the owl with "the thing" in his talons. I do think, however, that you should have a little more on the bottom. Congrats!

Ron it must have been great doing this series,this one is just great.

Keith.

Great capture for both of you and a really nice series. Sharon

Great study .

Wow.... This is an excellent image IMHO ! Well done ! Cheers, Hans

Amazing capture. Love the head on view.

I think you know this owl so personally by now that you must dream about him or her, and to me that comes across in your images, which are, as always, beautifully done.

This is an absolutely incredible shot. I just got a shot of a burrowing owl standing by its burrow & was pleased with that. This puts ME in my place!

Another amazing image Ron. The prey gets bigger and the images get better.
May

Super image Ron, the head on stare puts this one above the others in the series imo. I was just curious what kind of crop you had in these and if you were shooting from a car or a blind etc or just out in the open?

Thanks Nate. These images are approximately 65% of full frame or a little better. I was laying on the ground behind a knoll.

No calls or baiting were involved and these birds were not harassed. I do not believe in using such methods, period.

Believe it or not, some people actually bait burrowing owls here in FL. They buy crickets from bait or pet stores and release them near an active burrow. They also catch lizards and bait with those.

The shots I have been able to get of these birds is the result of many hours of scouting and waiting. Same as with my barred owl and snail kite images. I know some people automatically believe any good shot of a raptor is the result of being baited or called in. Not the case with my images.

If I do say so myself, I am very proud of this particular shot. It is in the top 5 of any image I have ever captured. Just to see this action is rare IMO, and to be able to capture it as I have, not a small feat. Very small, fast bird, against a very difficult background.

Hey, everybody else is patting themselves on the back these days, I might as well do it too.

Cheers.

Burrowing owls may be small and "cute" but they are still raptors! Amazing image, especially the head-on perspective.
Great eyes and detail, and nice environment.
My only possible nit is that vertical reed intersecting the owl's right wing - a little distracting and might be cloned pout.
Congrats on the WP!

Sandy

Wow this image works even better because of the angle you shot at. Totally in your face comming at you. Nice shot.

exquisite capture Ron!! wow...well done on the WP too

A little grizzly, but most excellent image! Congrats for the EP.

Thanks everyone. Been in the field all week, so just seeing this now. Much appreciated for sure.

Congratulations on the well deserved WP, this is a rare occurrence captured expertly.

Amazing shot !!