Burrowing Owls of Zanjero Park Arizona

I was asked to go out to my company’s development center in Phoenix Arizona.  It has been raining so much in Texas I haven’t been out in the field doing my wildlife photography.  I decided to go ahead and pack a camera and a small zoom lens.  I had heard that there were Burrowing Owls in Gilbert.  Sure enough they have made a park for the Owls.  As the cities around Phoenix build out new subdivision, then relocate the Burrowing Owl families to Zanjero Park. Volunteers have build 100 man made Owl burrows.

KJ5D5890-FrameShopThere was at least 4 or 5 active owls while I was there.  I was a little surprised as it was 117 degrees while I was there.  I took my Cannon 5D MK III and my 100-400mm MKII.  As soon as the Owls started flying around I really wished I would have brought my trusty 1DX, but I made do with what I had.KJ5D5792-FrameShop KJ5D5811-FrameShop

Is this one guarding a pile of Dog Pooh?KJ5D5820-FrameShop KJ5D5875-FrameShopWas finally able to catch one in flight, the Batman pose no less.KJ5D5845-FrameShopI don’t like man made objects in my nature and wildlife photos but I wanted to post a few of the habitat that built for the owls.

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Each Burrow is numbered.  This owl lived in #35, but liked to hang out on the #47 / #48 perch.  The first 60 burrows are along a wide cement pathway.  The rest are out in more of a gravel path.  Hope you found this little review worth your time.

If I get time while I am out here, I am going to look for the Wild Horses of the Salt River.

Life is good and I am blessed!
Kent

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Burrowing Owl

I have slowly been crossing Owls off my list over the years.  This was a lifer.  I hadn’t been shooting much wildlife since moving to the Great State of Texas.  Mostly been playing golf, but when the eagles and snowy owls started showing up back home, the itch got the better of me.

Joined a couple Texas Facebook pages and when a Burrowing Owl appeared, game on to get a chance to cross another one off the life list.

He is located 3.5 hours South by South East of Dallas.  I spent over 7 hours in the car driving and looking for him, but finally found him and got a couple keepers.  They say he will stay around until end of February.   This is his third year in that area.  I would guess him to be about 8 inches tall.

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Have a wildlife Hotspot in Texas, feel free to drop me a line and we can go photograph it.

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Life I good and I am blessed!

Kent