Thursday, January 27, 2011

Look into my eyes... Western Burrowing Owl at the Berkeley Marina

A western burrowing owl at the Berkeley Marina. A small colony of these cute little guys spend the winter in Cesar Chavez Park. This one decided to settle outside of the fenced in area designated for the owls, and instead picked a burrow in the rocks along the shoreline.

Western burrowing owl at the Berkeley Marina - Pat Ulrich Wildlife Photography

Owls have such amazing eyes, and I find it nearly impossible to look away from them in images. The striking yellow color really stands out from their camouflaged plumage, and it's a hypnotic stare. Thankfully, this guy was much more worried about what was going on up along the trail (ie, dogs) than in me, but it definitely makes for more interesting images when he glanced my way and stared into my soul ;-)

Western burrowing owl watching the trail - Pat Ulrich Wildlife Photography
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 27, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    Great photos Pat. It really blends into the rocks. It's hard to get full body photos of them.

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  2. Julie G.January 27, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Owls really do have amazing eyes and you captured them beautifully. Perfect detail. Splendid images!

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  3. FABJanuary 27, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Superb images showing their fine feather detail.

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  4. Jen JoyntJanuary 31, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Love the photos and story. I completely agree on the owl eyes. They are hypnotic.

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  5. Pat UlrichJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:36 PM

    Thanks, Jim! Yeah this guy was tough to see at times, especially when those bright yellow eyes weren't looking at me.

    Thanks, Julie! I agree -- their eyes are captivating!

    Thanks, Early Birder! They do have quite lovely patterns in their feathers.

    Thanks, Jen! I always enjoy seeing your images of these guys too!

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    Fantastic images! I love the depth in the eyes.

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