A Snowy Owl takes flight from a fence post near Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. I made this shot from my car. Birds will often fly away the moment I stop or even slow down, but in some cases I can "convince" my subject to accept the car - and this was such a moment. After relocating twice to different fence posts, this owl ignored my presence, allowing me to sit at the edge of the road, with the motor off, and observe for extended periods (five minutes or more). Subsequent location changes appeared to be part of its rodent scanning behaviour. At times it would grow suddenly alert, body rising up and neck stretching, intently focused on something in the grass... and then it would relax. I was hoping it would get lucky and catch a mouse or vole - which might have been lucky for me, too - but that did not happen. Eventually a rival Snowy Owl flapped across the field and my subject immediately flew away. Thus ended the encounter.
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© James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca wildlife bird raptor white vertical flight taking flight wings fence post barbwire ranch range winter wild prairie near Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada
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Snowy Owl leaps from a fence post and takes flight. After shooting a burst I looked up to see a second Snowy Owl gliding soundlessly across the field. I was very sorry to see "my" owl go, because it had accepted me - or rather, my car, and the sound of my shutter - and had been scanning the field for mice and voles. But it was not prepared to confront a rival owl.
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© James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca wildlife bird raptor white flight flying taking flight fence post winter wild prairie near Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada Flickr'sBestCreatures
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Swainson's Hawk, the most commonly seen raptor in southwestern Saskatchewan. I never get tired of them, although I'm sure the local rodent population is happy when they migrate south for the winter.
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© James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni wildlife bird raptor takeoff taking off taking flight fence post wild prairie near Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada Flickr'sBestCreatures
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After half an hour with the snowy owls, I drove along Butte Road toward the best hiking routes in Grasslands National Park (Saskatchewan). However, I brake for raptors. This one was special - I don't see Rough-legged Hawks here very often. Thanks to Brent Wellander for assistance with the I.D. - I had ignored evidence and tagged it as a harrier.
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© James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: wildlife bird raptor hawk flight flying in flight fence winter wild prairie near Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
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A Western Meadowlark takes off from a fence post near Val Marie, Saskatchewan.
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Tags: Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta wildlife bird songbird flying taking flight yellow wings fence post wild prairie Saskatchewan Canada
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