Birds in Nature - images of wild birds by Richard Ditch

Subject: Northern Saw Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)
Place: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Date: March 12, 2003
Equipment: Nikon N90S, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC14E (= 420/4), SB28
Film: Fujichrome Sensia 100
Exposure: aperture priority matrix meter; fill flash @ -1.7
Scan: Minolta Dimage, 100% of frame

Commentary: Little is known about the range and habits of the Northern Saw-whet Owl in AZ. There is only one documented nest, but enough sightings of juvenile birds to assume they breed at high elevations. They move to lower elevations in winter, but are seldom discovered. This is only the second one I've seen in AZ.

As with all owls at daytime roosts, this bird managed to find maximum cover - even in a tree that had little to provide. This was the best viewing position I could manage while sticking to my own ethical rules of: no manipulation of the vegetation, the bird, or the garden I was standing in by permission of the home owner.