Northern Saw-whet Owl, Ida Grove, IA The Northern Saw-whet Owl is one of my favorite (of course all Owls rank pretty high among my favorite birds). I have previously taken pictures of a Saw-whet in captivity at the International Festival of Owls, but this weekend I got to photograph this one in the wild. Renowned nature photographer Don Poggensee from Ida Grove helped a small group of birders find a Saw-whet and a Long-eared Owl in Moorehead Park near Ida Grove. It was a cold morning, barely above zero, but we ventured out with cameras and with Don's great scouting skills we walked right to the pine tree where he was roosting just above eye-level. To my surprise, the owl seemed to have no fear of the visitors. We were able to slowly walk right up to the tree, take turns taking pictures and even to gently move some branches to get a better shot. The little owl just sat patiently while we took our pictures. A short distance away Don also located a Long-eared Owl, high in a small grove of pine trees, another first for me. It was difficult to get a clear shot because of all of the small branches and needles in the way, but I did get at least one photo where I could see both eyes. It was a great day. Click the images to see a larger view.
View more Owls here...
View more Owls here...
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