Short Eared Owl in Flight

A short eared owl skims the ground in search of a vole in western Washington in the late afternoon sunlight. This photograph showcases my motivation as a photographer because I set a goal for 2023 to seek out and photograph and owl in the wild. I purchased new lens, practiced on some local birds, and studied autofocus settings. I researched owls, consulted with birdwatchers and other photographers and found that there was a location nearby short eared owls regularly hunted in the winter. I had expected to need to visit multiple times before successfully photographing the owls, but they were readily on display!