December

When December arrives in California, you can be sure the burrowing owls will, too. These tiny birds of prey winter here, settling in burrows often vacated by other animals. I’ve seen a few of them, but I’ve always been directed to their location by someone else. This year, I wanted to find one for myself. They’re so small it’s almost impossible unless you see one move, but driving along, I noticed something dart behind a mound of grass in a field. I was actively looking for one then but still couldn’t believe my luck.

The owl settled in its burrow, and I tried to get close enough for a good image without causing it too much stress. The hardest part was getting low enough because I like to be at eye level with the animals I photograph when possible and still pick out focus through the grass. I managed to get a few images, then left it alone. I did return on another day, and the owl was still there, but cows surrounded it, and I didn’t want to be one more threat, so there were no images that day.