[Birdtalk] Burrowing Owl Photos (close up)

[Tim Avery]

Pictures:
http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=594&page=1&sort=na&id=buow1

Last night Sam and I went up to Antelope Island to see what was happening
with shorebird migration and to photograph the sunset.  The sunset was a
bust as low clouds built up over the lake to the west killing most of the
typical late July reflection.  There weren't nearly as many phalarope as I
had expected. I would put the high estimate at a little less than 100,000
Wilson's Phalarope, and maybe 1,500 Red-necked.  The larges group ow
Wilson's was on the south side of the causeway stretching about a mile to
the south where the water first starts near the east bridge.  ON the north
side, there were 10's of 1,000's scattered as far as the eye could see, but
not all clumped together.  Several Small flocks of Red-necked were scattered
all along the causeway with the largest flocks being near the last bridge at
the Island.  Other shorebirds included:

1,000 Long-billed Dowitcher
10 Black-bellied Plover
4 Long-willed Curlew
40 Willet
4 Baird's Sandpiper
200 Western Sandpiper
Several 1,000 American Avocet and 100's of Black-necked Stilt

The best of the night however, was when we were watching a Burrowing Owl
from the car and taking some pictures.  The bird out of nowhere flew from
where it was perched about 40 feet from the car and landed about 20 feet
away.  It then walked to within about 12 feet of the car.  Simply
amazing--here are some pictures:

http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=594&page=1&sort=na&id=buow2

I was able to get some video of one a little later perched up watching the
traffic drive by and the swallows fly over head:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssctJO1Rzug

--

Now is one of the best times to photograph Phalarope and Franklin's Gulls at
the causeway.  Here are shots from previous years:

Red-necked Phalarope
http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=237&id=rnph

Wilson's Phalarope
http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=235&id=wiph

Franklin's Gull
http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=61&id=frgu

Good Birding

Tim
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