11.27.24 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Will County, IL

 

Short-eared Owl (1 of around 10 seen this day)

Short-eared Owl sitting on a rusted iron fence with a strand of barbed wire in the foreground and prairie in the background. The owl is looking to the side.

The same Short-eared Owl as the last 2 photos, sitting in the same place. It's piercing yellow eyes are looking straight towards you!

The Short-eared Owl taking off from it's fence perch.

A Short-eared Owl flying with the light blue sky behind it, bare trees in the background. It is flying towards a bare tree.

A Short-eared Owl coasting over the prairie

Short-eared Owl flying to the left side of the frame, looking back over it's shoulder. 

Two Short-eared Owls swooping at each other. The one above has it's fuzzy legs dangling, while the other has reared up, with it's back nearly parallel to the bottom of the frame.

Short-eared Owl flying through bare trees. It's wings are spread wide, banking to the left, but staring forward.

Short-eared Owl flying with it's back toward you. It's neck is craned, looking at something

A Northern Harrier flying just over the tops of the grasses in the prairie, a Short-eared owl and sprawling bare trees in the background

A Short-eared Owl flying close overhead, head craned, looking away over it's shoulder.

Short-eared Owl flying over, staring right at you

Short-eared Owl flying over, looking straight ahead

Three Short-eared Owls flying in different directions over the prairie, but momentarily making a triangle

Short-eared Owl flying just over the prairie plants

Northern Flicker sitting still in a nearly-bare tree, being very round

Red-tailed Hawk standing on a horizontal branch with some sort of prey in it's talons. The branches behind it are twining together into a brambly-looking collection of branches

A pink-and-blue striped sunset, just visible over the tops of the distant trees