The reason I drove to the Eempolder today was the many sightings — and stunning photographs — of short-eared owls in the area. At one point, as many as six individuals were reported at the same time. Combined with the snow that was still covering the fields, making the owls less well camouflaged, the chances of a successful sighting suddenly seemed much higher — or at least very real.

Those plans were briefly put on hold when I was delayed by a Eurasian bittern casually walking through the field. After taking a whole series of photos of this unexpected encounter, I decided to continue my drive, heading a bit closer to the River Eem, where the short-eared owls had been observed several times. I wasn’t the first to arrive there either, but almost immediately I spotted a beautiful short-eared owl resting quietly among the grass. It turned out to be a wonderful day with memorable sightings, because a short-eared owl is a species that never seems to lose its appeal.

6 thoughts on “Short-eared owl – Velduil (Asio Flammeus)

Comments are closed.