Being in the presence of owls brings me immense joy and helps me feel like all is well in the world. Burrowing owls, in particular, are especially adorable. Since they are active during the day, capturing photos at golden hour is possible.
On a sweltering June day in Arizona, I was scrolling through Facebook when I stumbled upon photos of juvenile burrowing owlets. I immediately knew I wanted to photograph these charming owls and set it as my photography goal.
In the late afternoon, I drove to the location where these cute raptors live. As I arrived, I was delighted to see four sibling juvenile burrowing owlets! The late afternoon was scorching, with temperatures approaching 100 degrees, but nearby desert trees provided shade for the owlets.
As I observed them, I was captivated by their playful, comical, and curious behavior. They were pouncing, stretching, grooming, and playing hide-and-seek with each other. One juvenile owlet caught my eye, looking straight at me with a tilted head and a curious expression.
I took hundreds of photos, but one moment stood out. The owlet hopped around the ground, bravely moving farther away from his burrow, and eventually stopped and stood on top of a smooth, round rock. He stood up tall, as if he were the king of the ground. It seemed as if he was interacting directly with me as I peered through my viewfinder.
As the sun began to set behind me, I finally captured the photo I was hoping for – a beautiful golden yellow background, matching the color of the owlet’s eyes. He tilted his head as if to ask me “Who are you?”. It was simply magical! Looking back, I feel like we were playing together, and that special moment will stay with me forever.