I well remember the day a year ago when I surveyed the land outside our new home and stated to my beautiful Cindy that this was Short-eared Owl territory. We searched throughout our first winter to no avail. I resigned myself to the reality that I was going to have to travel over an hour to the Santa Cruz grasslands to see this exceptional bird. And then it happened...

A couple of days ago Cindy mentioned that she had seen a Shorty in the fields near our house. I humored her, but in my head, I believed she had seen one of the numerous Northern Harriers that winter here. Late this afternoon she asked me if I wanted to go for a walk by the mighty (lol) San Pedro River. She asks me every night to walk with her, and I seldom say yes. I'm just too lazy or involved in editing shots to go. But tonight I decided to join her with a commitment to myself that I would devote all my attention to walking and talking together. I even left my camera at home. I never do that!

As we drove down the road towards the river, before we had even left our development, off to the right, in a perfect field, a beer can be flitted by my peripheral view. In astonishment, I stopped the car to get a better look. Cindy spotted it first, of course. Hunting over the grasslands was the Shorty she had told me about. A moment later a second owl came into view. It was 30 minutes until sunset, and my camera was at home.

To her credit, she acquiesced when I begged her to allow me to rush home to get my gear. I won't say that I broke the speed limit, but I do think we made the round trip in record time. This is not the best shot, but I consider it the foreshadow of images to come. Now that I know that there are at least two Short-eared Owls less then three miles from my front door I expect to be there often.

The high desert of southern Arizona is truly a nature enthusiasts paradise. That God has allowed me to live here and chronicle its majesty is a blessing far more significant than I deserve. I humbly remain His scribe.
Shoot Date: December 17, 2018
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Shutter priority ¹⁄₅₀₀ sec at f/7.1 0 EV
Lens: EF400mm f/2.8L USM @ 400 mm
ISO: 6400