Barn Owl

I love owls. And, the Barn Owl is one of my favorites. And, while Barn Owls often hang out around .... well, barns, they also can be found in wilderness areas. Whitewater Draw in Southern Arizona "draws" many Barn Owls to nest. There's only about four acres of trees, but the Barn Owls like those trees and come to roost each winter. One year I counted 25. 

The Barn Owl is the most widespread of all owls and can be found around the world except in polar regions and some of the desert areas. Not so in the Sonoran Desert, where we can find them. It hunts by flying low over farmlands, fields, and other open areas looking for rodents.

Here is one of my favorites from Whitewater Draw:

Barn Owl

Owls of Whitewater Draw

Another attraction of Whitewater Draw is the owl nesting areas. Whitewater Draw consists of Chihuahuan desert grasslands and ponds in the heart of Sulphur Springs Valley, Arizona. Most of the attention goes to the 20-25,000 Sandhill Cranes that winter on the site. In fact, I had not even explored the willow trees just to the south of the ponds the first visit. The willows provide nesting for Barn Owls and Long Eared Owls. I counted 12 Barn Owls two years ago. I was told there were as many as 24 that year. (I'll talk about the Long Eared Owl tomorrow). Barn Owls are fairly easy to spot. The white face is a sure give-away. The area is "roped" off to caution visitors about disturbing the nesting site. So, getting a good photo is chancy, at best. Often there are too many trees or branches in the way. But when you can get a photo -- such as the one above -- you feel good. Even though it is a photo the owl looks like he is looking directly at you -- that intimate relationship I always try to capture in my photography.