In Search of Burrowing Owls

Ever since branching out from landscape photography to include birds and wildlife, I've paid much more attention to the local critters wherever I'm visiting.  Since I travel to South Dakota fairly often, I've come to appreciate the plentiful wildlife and numerous locations to photograph them that abound in the Black Hills area.  Thanks to the guidance from my neighbor Cheri, photographing birds of prey, such as eagles, hawks and owls, has risen to the top of my "photography bucket list."  Especially owls - they are such cute and interesting birds!  I've been fortunate enough to capture images of several owl species - Barred owls, a Northern pygmy owl, Western screech owls, and just recently, Short-eared owls.  But one specific type of owl had eluded me thus far - the tiny, ultra-cute Burrowing owl. 

The Badlands at sunrise

Burrowing owls are small owls with long legs and bright-yellow eyes.  Not much larger than a robin, these birds live underground, either in burrows they dig themselves, or have taken over from another animal.  Prairie dog burrows are especially popular.  These owls live in open habitats, such as grasslands or deserts.  They can be spotted during daylight hours, usually in the mornings and evenings.

  

Meadowlark announcing the day

Badlands National Park offers perfect conditions to support Burrowing owls.  Over the past few years, I'd seen internet images of these little birds taken in the Badlands by local photographers.  Keen to capture some photos of my own, I decided to try my hand at locating Burrowing owls in Badlands National Park.

Shaggy bison

For the past three years, every time I visited South Dakota, my sister accompanied me on my Burrowing owl quest.  We'd logged several hikes around Badlands prairie dogs towns, but sadly always came up empty.  Credit to my sis - she was a good sport for following her crazy sister all over a bunch of bleak, dusty landscapes.  After several unsuccessful tries, I'm sure she was convinced the owls didn't exist.

A burrowing owl!

In early May, I made a visit to my family in South Dakota.  Of course, another trip to the Badlands was on my agenda.  But this time I did a little research.  My birding friends had recently turned me onto a website called ebird.  This site featured locations all over the US where people posted lists of the birds they had seen (and sometimes heard) in a specific area.  Pouring over recent ebird reports from the Badlands, I discovered a few people had observed Burrowing owls along a specific road in Badlands National Park.  After consulting the weather, I picked a favorable day to drive out there.

Another!

Since early morning was a good time to see Burrowing owls, as well as many other animals, I left my parent's house well before sunrise.  Although I missed photographing an amazing sunrise because I was driving, my early wake up call got me to the Badlands at dawn.  Perfect!  Enroute to where the owls had been spotted, I stopped to photograph some Pronghorn antelope, several bison and a meadowlark - all right out my car window!  The day was already looking promising.

These two were obviously a couple

Five miles down the specific road was a prairie dog town.  I suspected that's where the owls had been spotted.  Approaching the parking area, it was occupied by several large bison.  I surely wasn't going to pull over there!  So I kept driving slowly along the gravel road, scanning the landscape.  

I loved how they posed

Not far from the parking area, I spotted a small brown blob out my driver's side window.  Unsure if it was an owl or just another prairie dog (they both look alike from a distance) I grabbed my camera and zoom lens to have a better look.  As the lens focused, an owl's face came into view.  Oh my gosh, I'd finally found one!

One was nuzzling the other

Ecstatic, I quickly fired off multiple shots from my camera.  The owl sat for several minutes before tiring of this paparazzi woman, and flew away.  But then I noticed another brown blob nearby - it was a second Burrowing owl!

 

On guard in the wildflowers

This time I exited my car in hopes of getting closer to the little bird.  For a short while, the owl tolerated my advances, until I got too close for its comfort.  The owl then flew across the road.  Darn - I'd just found Burrowing owls and they were already gone!

The owl couple at a prairie dog burrow

But at least I'd finally spotted some these adorable little owls.  Happy with my discovery, I decided to drive a bit further down this gravel road.  At an overlook I saw a flock of wild turkeys with two large toms.  Then I heard a coyote howl, and spotted this magnificent animal nearby.  Deciding the overlook was my turn-around point, I headed back down the road.  Maybe I could find the owls again?

"If I close my eyes, maybe the photographer will go away"

I piloted my car back to where I'd seen the owls and there they were, right where I'd first spotted them.  This time both owls were sitting together in the grass.  Remembering my previous mistake, this time I stayed in my car and photographed out the window.  The two owls were so cute - one began nuzzling the other's face with its beak.  A type of owl kiss?  I kind of assumed they must be a couple.

I caught one in flight

After several minutes of owl watching through the window, I couldn't stand it any longer and exited my car with hopes of getting a bit closer.  Again, for awhile the owls tolerated my advances, but finally both of them flew across the road.  This time I watched where they landed and was able to pinpoint their location.

Owl giving me the side-eye

I walked across a prairie dog town, to where both owls were sitting.  They appeared to be at an old burrow, possibly their own?  One owl was partially sunk down into a hole, while the other was standing on one leg.  They both glared at me suspiciously with their vivid yellow eyes.  What great photos this made!  But I couldn't get very close or they'd fly again.  I had to really zoom to get the owls - my lens maxed out at 500 mm and even with a 1.6x crop factor in my camera, it wasn't as close as I would've liked.  Right now I was wishing I'd brought my 800 mm lens for more reach.  

Baby prairie dogs

Eventually both owls grew tired of me and once again flew to the other side of the road.  By now I'd recognized a pattern.  The owls went to the same locations on each side of the road, so they were fairly easy to find.  So I followed the owls to one side and back again for a couple of rounds, before I decided I'd probably disturbed the little birds long enough.  I had plenty of great photos, so it was time to move on.

Green grasses surrounding the colorful landscape

So I drove back to the main park road and got some shots of the amazing scenery that Badlands National Park is known for.  The new grass was a brilliant shade of green and it really made the red and tan rock formations stand out.  Yellow wildflowers brightened the landscape.

I spotted two wild turkeys

It still being early in the day, I saw many more animals along the park road.  Two female bighorn sheep were grazing nearby.  Another sheep was perched on a overlook right off the road and I got some great photos of her lounging, contemplating the morning.  The only bummer is that the National Park tags and collars many of their Bighorn sheep, so they don't look very wild.

Coyote howling

I saw oodles of prairie dogs, but I've taken so many pictures of the little critters I don't usually photograph them any more.  However, it being spring, there were plenty of prairie dog babies clustered atop the burrows, and one group was so cute I couldn't resist snapping a few images.  I saw more bighorn sheep, another coyote, more bison, and several unique birds.  It was a very successful morning of wildlife photography!

Bighorn sheep, #28 to be exact

Finally, about mid-morning the park began to fill with visitors, so I took this as my cue to leave.  But I was ecstatic - I'd finally found Burrowing owls in the Badlands!  Before heading back to my parent's home, I texted my sister with the good news.  (My sis had to work so she wasn't able to accompany me this time.)  She couldn't believe it!  Later when I was able to download and edit a few photos, I sent them to her as proof.

Now that I know what to look for, you can bet I'll be roaming the Badlands with my camera next time I visit.  Hopefully I'll see the Burrowing owls again.

Kim Visits South Dakota (Part 1)

(These next few posts will recap a trip from last May-June when I took my buddy Kim with me to visit family in South Dakota.)

Long time readers of my blog know I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and travel here annually to see family.  My good friend Kim had never visited the Black Hills and she'd always wanted to see Mt. Rushmore.  So when I asked Kim if she wanted to join me on my next family visit, the answer was a resounding yes!

Kim made it to Mt. Rushmore!

The first couple days of our S. Dakota visit were spent at my sister's cabin, deep in the Black Hills.  It rained a lot, so we spent most of our time watching the thunderstorms roll through.  But the third day dawned sunny and clear.  Perfect for our planned trip to Mt. Rushmore!

The four faces

Having grown up 20 miles away from the famous faces, I've seen Mt. Rushmore countless times.  But I have to admit it was special to be with my friend for her first visit.  Kim was as impressed as I thought she'd be.  

My parents were here too

Carved between 1927 and 1941, Mt. Rushmore was the creation of sculptor Gutzon Borglum.  The faces of four prominent US presidents were blasted onto a large, granite mountain - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.  Mt. Rushmore is now a US National Memorial.

Rushmore selfie

After roaming around the memorial, oohing and aahing at the faces, and taking copious photos, Kim and I took my parents to lunch nearby at our family's favorite Black Hills restaurant - the Alpine Inn.

Lunch at Alpine Inn

Located in the cute town of Hill City, not far from Mt. Rushmore, this Bavarian-themed restaurant is a favorite of locals and tourists alike.  As a matter of fact, the place fills up so fast my family usually tries  to be there right when they open at 11 am to ensure we get a table.  The food is great, but my favorite is choosing a decadent dessert from their extensive menu.  This time Kim and I split a chocolate parfait.

 

Walk around Sylvan Lake

After all that food and chocolate, it was time for some exercise to burn it off.  I drove over to scenic Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park.  There's no better place in the Black Hills for a beautiful stroll.

Kim walks through the narrow chasm

My parents opted to stay near the parking lot, but encouraged Kim and I to walk the path around the lake.  So I led my friend across a bridge, through a narrow chasm and up the side of a large granite boulder.  

Climbing up the granite

The skies were blue and full of fantastic puffy clouds.

Beautiful day!

To finish off our first day in the Black Hills, I drove Kim through a portion of the famous Needles Highway in Custer State Park.  This road winds around tall granite pinnacles, occasionally ducking through narrow tunnels.  Super scenic, it's my most favorite drive in the Black Hills.

Needles Highway

The following day, I took Kim to another of my favorite South Dakota places, Badlands National Park.

The next day - Badlands!

The Badlands is comprised of sedimentary rocks that have eroded into spectacular shapes - sharp pinnacles, rounded mounds, and jagged hills.  Uncovered rock layers provide colorful stripes on the hills.  Numerous fossils have been found here and it's considered one of the world's richest fossil beds.  The mixed-grass prairie is home to lots of wildlife - bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferret and prairie dogs.

We saw one bighorn sheep

Although the scenery is spectacular, the main reason I keep visiting the Badlands is for the wildlife.

I love this overview

We spotted a huge buffalo right by the entrance booth.  Not far into the park, I also stopped to photograph a lone bighorn sheep.  But other than those (and hundreds of prairie dogs, which to me don't count) there wasn't much going on that day in the wild animal department.

There was lots of green in between the rock formations

However, it was another beautiful day and the bountiful rainfall that the area had been getting made everything super green.

Taking a hike

Stopping to take a hike on a nearby boardwalk, Kim and I noticed the trailhead kiosk was full of cliff swallow nests.  These birds were building their mud abodes underneath the kiosk's eaves.  Finally more wildlife to photograph!  I may have taken a few images of these cute, colorful birds.

I found a bunch of cliff swallows making nests

While driving to the Badlands, Kim had noticed several signs for Wall Drug along the highway.  She asked what it was.  When we finished our Badlands tour, I swung by the nearby tiny town of Wall so Kim could find out.

Of course we had to stop by Wall Drug!

Wall Drug was the brainchild of the Hustead family.  During the depression, they were struggling to keep their drugstore open.  In order to lure in business, the Husteads created signs advertising "free ice water" and "5 cent coffee."  They placed signs along all the popular roadways leading into Wall.  Their advertising worked, and the business prospered.

Ride 'em cowgirl!

Wall Drug has evolved into a major tourist attraction.  These days, it's a huge complex featuring a restaurant, several gift shops, a Western art gallery, and the famous backyard, full of animatronic scenes and photo op props such as a giant jackalope.  When I was a kid, stopping at Wall Drug was a big deal (at least for South Dakota!)

Jackalopes are a thing here

And speaking of jackalopes.....you can even buy your very own jackalope head to hang on your wall!

Playin' cards with Poker Alice

We had lunch, walked around the numerous gift shops, and posed for goofy photos whenever possible.  I think Kim had a good time.  I know I did!  

Stay tuned for Part two of Kim's South Dakota adventure!

The Badlands

Before I delve into the rest of my spring hikes I wanted to write one final post from my extended South Dakota stay.  The good news - I'm finally back in Oregon!  Although I enjoyed the nice long visit with my family and am grateful to my parents for taking care of me post-surgery, it's good to be home.

The grand view

One of my favorite places to visit while in South Dakota is Badlands National Park.  Before my illness, hospitalization, and surgery, it had been firmly on this trip's agenda.  But - life threw me a curve ball, so change in plans.   Now recovering from my ordeal, it took a few weeks before I felt well enough to think about venturing to the park.  Also, since I didn't have a vehicle, I had to rely on family members for transport.  Luckily I was able to talk my sister into driving there one July evening.

Colorful hills

It was a hot and extremely humid late afternoon as my sis and I made our way along the scenic road through Badlands National Park.  Although the Badlands is known for it's unique landscapes - colorful eroded hills stretching for miles - my main reason for this trip was to capture wildlife.  Two years ago, I came upon a large herd of bighorn sheep and was hoping to have the same luck finding them again.

Small roadside flower

My sister was glad to have an excuse to visit the Badlands.  Despite living in South Dakota all of her life, she had only been to the Badlands once before - a couple of years ago with me.  Even though people live close to these wonderful natural attractions, often the only time they visit is when there's company.  I was happy to provide the reason!

Eroded hills

The plan was to drive through the park, and my sister agreed to pull over anywhere that caught my eye.  First up was an area of the park called the "Yellow Mounds" where the soil had muted yellow hues.  Although I stop here every time I visit, it's always good for a few more photo ops!

My happy sis!

We pulled into another scenic overlook parking area.  I spotted a lady looking up into a large tree, so of course I went over to check it out.  The tree was full of yellow and gray birds (which I later identified as Kingbirds).  Several young fledglings were perched in the branches, waiting for their mothers to return with food.

Kingbirds waiting for mama

I'd never seen Kingbirds before (I don't think they live in the Pacific NW) so I was fascinated by these lovely yellow birds.

Feeding time

A pair of fledglings sat on a tree branch in full view, so I only had to zoom in to capture the two cuties.  Even better, I was also able to photograph their mother's arrival and get in on feeding time.

Another baby kingbird being fed

The Kingbirds were a welcome sighting, but I was after some Bighorn sheep.  Sis drove the park road for a few miles but there were none to be found.  I was beginning to think I'd miss out.  But then we rounded a bend and noticed vehicles parked along the road.  And walking among them were the sheep!

Bighorn sheep!

A large herd of mothers and babies - ewes and lambs - were contentedly munching grass along the road.

Little lamb right by the road

Oh my gosh I'd hit the jackpot!  Excitedly I jumped out of the car and started firing my camera's shutter.

I loved their fluffy ears

There were lots of young Bighorn sheep.   Many were just starting to grow their horns - I noticed tiny nubs on the top of some heads.  And I just loved the lamb's white fluffy ears.

Ewe standing on a hill

Speaking of horns, of course I kept a safe distance from both the ewes and lambs.  Those mama sheep had fairly large horns and sharp hooves.  I didn't want to upset any of the mothers by getting too close.  Thank goodness for my big zoom lens!

Feeding time

I was lucky enough to observe several lambs feeding from their mamas.  Although now old enough to eat vegetation, the lambs must've still needed to supplement their diet with mother's milk.

Talkative ewe

A few of the ewes were equipped with radio collars around their necks.  It appeared as though the National Park staff was monitoring the Bighorn sheep herds.

Another cute lamb

My sister took a few pics of me in action.  Since I'm always behind the lens, it was great to have a few photos of myself - which I can share with you all.  Thanks sis!

Capturing the action (photo courtesy of my sis)

I took way too many images of the adorable baby Bighorn sheep.  And I couldn't decide which ones to feature in this blog so I'm including them all in a huge photo dump.  Enjoy the cuteness!

A gang of lambs

Sweet baby

Checking out the scenery

Checking me out

High on a vantage point

Two inquisitive lambs

Finally after logging several hundred images of Bighorn sheep babies I finally decided I'd taken enough photographs, so my sis and I jumped back in the car and headed further down the park road.  We traveled another mile or so when we spotted another interesting vantage point.  Pulling into the parking area, I noticed several people looking into a nearby draw.  Peering into the small canyon, we noticed two Bighorn sheep rams.  One was lying on top of a small hill and the other was walking towards the first guy.

Two rams challenging each other

The second ram ventured to the top of the hill where the other ram was resting, and started pawing the earth with his hoof.  Accepting the challenge, the other ram rose up and began walking towards him.  

I think there's gonna be a fight!

And then the fight was on!  The two rams ran towards each other and knocked heads.  Their huge, curled horns locked together and the rams wrestled, each trying to overturn the other.

Crashing horns

What a sight!  My sis and I stood in awe watching these powerful animals battle.  The rams would scuffle for a few seconds, their horns locked tight.  Then they would retreat for a moment, only to instantly rush at each other for another round.  Although we were thankfully a safe distance away, we could hear the crash every time the ram's heads and horns collided.  The animals fought for about 5 minutes, then both rams abruptly stopped their skirmish and both laid down on top of the hill as if nothing had happened.

Prairie dog

Talk about being at the right place at the right time!  My sister and I felt very lucky to have witnessed a Bighorn sheep fight.  It was the highlight of our evening.

Colorful rock bands

After watching the duel, my sis drove down an adjacent gravel road that was full of prairie dog towns.  I was hoping to capture some pictures of burrowing owls, who nest near prairie dog holes, but we didn't spot any.  Still it was fun to watch the prairie dogs freak out when we got too close to their homes.  The little guys would squeak loudly, jump up and down, and frantically run in circles to warn their fellow mates.

Mega-erosion

My sis and I stopped at a few more scenic overlooks which I took full photographic advantage of.

More colorful eroded hills

The last item I wished to capture was a sunset over the Badland's eroded hills.  Spotting what I thought would be a nice sunset place, I asked my sister to retrace our route back to that specific overlook.

Another pic of me in action (Thanks sis!)

However, we misjudged sunset time and the sun started lowering much earlier than I'd anticipated.  When it didn't look like we'd get to my chosen overlook in time, I decided to stop at a different nearby location and see what I could get.

Evening light on the rock formations

The evening light illuminated the colorful cliffs and spires, producing some great color.

This area was especially colorful

The above shot was one of my favorites for color.

Panoramic view

There was a thick cloud bank hovering near the western horizon which combined with smoky, hazy skies from distant forest fires, didn't produce the amazing sky color I was hoping for.

Sun going down in hazy skies

I was able to capture this orangish glow emanating from the sun as it sunk behind some of the taller sculpted hills.

Another sunset pic

Higher up, the sun glowed an eerie red - again thanks to smoke from far-away forest fires.

The setting sun lit up these storm clouds

The better show was to the east, where a bank of thunderclouds began to light up in brilliant oranges and pinks, this colorful light due to reflections of from the setting sun.

Fantastic evening light on the Badlands

Once the sun slunk behind the horizon, I took advantage of some great shadow-free light on the surrounding colorful canyons (a very slow shutter speed and high ISO were necessary for this capture.)

Day's last light

My sis and I hung around until the light was nearly gone from the sky.  Then we settled in for the one-hour drive back home.  It was a late night for me, and I totally wore myself out (forgetting that I was still very much healing from my recent surgery.)  But despite overdoing things, seeing the Bighorn sheep (especially the rams fighting), the Kingbirds, the stunning scenery, and sunset was totally worth any fatigue.  

Badlands, I'll be back next year!