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Karen Carlsen, of Elgin Oregon, write "wish I could say taking these photo's of burrowing owls nesting on our ranch here is northeast Oregon wa a snap. It wasn't. But I couldn't think of a more entertaining way to spend my spare time.
I spent the next 3 months outdoors with a camera and telephoto lens in hand. Whenever, she would arrive , the 9 inch tall adults would stand long legged and shoulder to shoulder on a mound of soil just outside the den, welcoming me with their act of tough guy bravado. They'd glare at her with golden eyes and a beetle browned scowl, then bob bluster as I approached. They run. The female would slide silently into the darkness of the burrow while the male flew off without the clucking cackle of an outraged banty hen..

She was amazed at the team work from both parents incubating the eggs for 3 weeks. First one, then the other would disappear down the tunnel. The unoccupied bird stood like a sentry at the dens entrance. Burrowing owls keep their brown and buff babies in the nest much longer than most raptors. In early June, the first owlet peered curiously from the depths of the dark. Sooner or later she knew the rest of the young owls would emerge to bask in the sun's warmth. An hour spent in the company of burrowing owls chicks is unforgettable. Cute, brazen and comical, the youngsters are downright amusing.  Their curiosity was unmatched. If sometimes seemed odd or out of place, they'd turn their heads sideways, as if a cockeyed view would improved their understanding.

If that didn't work, they'd simply lean until they were in danger of tumbling over, And when they were startled, they'd rush headlong into the burrow, only to see if the coast was clear. it was impossible not to shake in silent laughter.

Feeding time , too, was hilarious and chaotic, making for some exciting and challenging photo's. The action was fast. The overworked parents would constantly come and go. The amount of food required to raise nice owlets is enormous, each youngster can eats it weight in 24 hours.  Returning to the den with a beetle or lizard, the adults were mobbed and often overrun by their ravenous youngsters, as if they were playing football in the back yard.  By August, the young owls were pretty much on their own.