I think I'm ready to start getting Owl of the Year underway!

Last year went well, but between you guys' feedback and my own, this year will be mostly the same, but a few improvements.

First change is the competitors. Last year I picked every owl, but this year I'll let you choose! I'm hoping that makes a few early rounds more exciting, since they will all be the owls you want to see.

I'm keeping everyone who moved onto the second round in. These owls are:

• Barn
• Buffy Fish
• Morepork
• Little
• Snowy
• Short Eared
• Great Gray
• Flammulated
• Burrowing
• Elf
• Saw Whet
• White Faced Scops
• Sooty
• Blakiston Fish
• Northern Pygmy
• Eastern Screech

Everyone who got knocked out has to compete to stay in. Those will be competing here. I'll let this run for the week so everyone has time to vote.

I'll put the 16 from last year in this post, and next week I'll run 16 newcomers! Top 8 from each will go on to the tournament to face the 16 returning owls.

Rules are simple and the same as before: simply upvote which you like.

Vote for one or two, vote for all, vote for none, the choice is yours.

Downvotes do not count.

In the need of a tiebreaker, I defer to my SO's vote, so I have no way in much of anything as far as results go.

Second change, the prize. Last year, this was all pretty new, and it was originally going to be a purely symbolic prize, other than we changed the banner and icon to reflect the finalists and winner.

It ended up being very fun, and in the spirit of owl celebration, I made a cash contribution in c/Superbowl's name to my local owl rescue. I did this mainly because I was familiar with them and knew they were legit.

Now that we've been doing this for over a year and have seen over a hundred rescues I'm sure, I thought if you guys had any rescue story that has stuck out this year or if there's a name you feel you have seen a lot like (in no particular order) A Place Called Hope, Middle TN Raptor Center, the University of MN, The Raptor Trust, or anyone else, give them a shout out during any of these threads or message me, and I can have you guys vote who gets the prize this year.

I do not want any money from you, and I will never ask for it. If you like the work you see here, donate directly to the rescue or get them something from their wishlist. I'm still going to donate this year again to my local rehab because it made me happy. This prize will be in addition.

With all that out of the way, here are your first contests!

#superbowl #owloftheyear24

From Ross Salawitch

> Barred Owl descending into a local waterway. Somehow, due to the magic of the camera, the timing of my "pan" resulted in a sharp image of the Owl's face, a rendering of motion in the wings, as well as a blurred background of the Fall foliage. Owls fly silently in part because the trailing edge of the wings bend with the air, reducing turbulence. > >12 Nov 2024; Prince George's County

From Phil Haynes

> Nice to find my garden Little Owl was sitting out this morning.

From Thy Bun

>This incredible shot captures a Long-eared Owl in mid- flight, wings spread wide as it glides through the golden light of dusk or dawn. The backlighting accentuates the owl's beautiful feather patterns, casting a warm glow through its wings and revealing intricate details. Its intense yellow eyes are locked forward, creating a mesmerizing, focused gaze that draws the viewer in. The blurred background allows the owl to stand out in sharp detail, emphasizing its graceful yet powerful presence. A truly captivating moment that showcases the elegance and mystery of this nocturnal hunter!

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From Charlotte Byers

> Yesterday (with all the rain today, it seems a long time ago) it was so beautiful, especially in the afternoon. We decided to drive to Wylie Slough and the "East 90" in Skagit County. put the owls and other raptors at the East 90 in first. The afternoon sun there made photography a real pleasure. Earlier (about noon to 1:30) we had a few clouds and even sprinkles at Wylie Slough.

(Washington State)

The votes of Round 1 are in, and these are the owls moving on to the tournament:

• Long Eared
• Crested
• Eurasian Eagle
• Great Horned
• Barred
• Oriental Bay
• Barking
• Spectacled

Thanks for all your votes. You made some good choices. Tawny is the one I'm saddest to see go, they look so gentle and loveable, but there is always next year and any other time I find a good picture.

It's time to select the final 8! There are a lot of owls we have to seen very much of, possibly a few we've never had featured before. Let me know who you like, and then I can get our bracket set up.

Rules are simple and the same as before: simply upvote which you like.

Vote for one or two, vote for all, vote for none, the choice is yours.

Downvotes do not count.

Ladies and gentlemen, the choices are yours. Let's see those votes! I'll leave this open for a week again.

#superbowl #owloftheyear24

From Simon Litten

Norfolk, England

Barn Owl appears to be hunting a giant watermark 😅

From Dan Oh

>I'm so happy to see the first Snowy Owl of 2024-2025 season. see tiny "horns"

From Simon Dentremont

>This Snowy Owl (in French, Harfang des neiges) was sitting up on a bank, waiting for the sun to set to go hunting. I positioned myself so the setting sun was behind it for a nice portrait, when it decided to leave its perch, luckily for me, in my direction. One of my favorite pics all year. I especially like the sunset highlights on those furry legs and kicked-up snow. Nova Scotia, Canada, Jan 2022.

Hit post by accident on an incomplete draft and didn't want to see a dead post hanging out on my feed. Here's a Long Eared Owl to fill it in with something nice but simple.

From Michelle Osterhus

>So excited to spend some time with these guys again this winter!

From Andrew Kawa

>Barred owl hunting frogs in a small pond.

From Dan Minicucci

>Pushing the limits of what is possible for photography. > >By it's very definition photography comes from the Greek words phõtós, meaning "light", and graphé, meaning "representation by means of lines' or "drawing". > >In this case the light, barely any, is the bright open sky from the left and the nearly full moon on the right of the frame. The time stamp on this image is 5:03 pm a full 25 minutes after sunset! > >Leaning completely on the capability of modern technology this image is possible. The exposure information is : 5000 f/4 2.5" Canon R5 Canon 60Omm f/4 lens. I did the math to compare this to the technology started my career with nearly 40 years ago. > >The fastest film was 400 so converting that film speed to an equivalent exposure would result in an exposure of a whopping 32 seconds! In other words - a total impossibility to capture an owl preparing to exit its roost and hunt for the night. > >So enjoy the fruits of technology and dedication to spend another night with my camera in the company of beautiful nature.

From Paul Bannick

>Migratory Snowy Owls begin arriving at prey-rich winter spots this month! As they fan out from Arctic tundra breeding grounds, most fly south but others may travel east, west or even North. Keep your eyes open! In this photo, two juvenile Snowy Owls compete over the best hunting perch.

From Jamie Bell

>Beautiful dawn, little owl looking curious so cracked off a few shots at a distance so not to scare it then left it in peace Nikon d500 Nikon 200-500mm lens ss 1/2500 of sec f5.6 iso 3200 my local nature reserve in the uk

From Paul Bannick

>Bare-legged Owl (Margarobyas lawrenci) > >This small, cavity nesting owl lives only on Cuba and the adjacent Ise of Pines. It feeds primarily upon arthropods supplemented by frogs, snakes and birds. This long-legged owl has in the past been considered the same species as the Puerto Rican Owl and as a member of the Megascops genus along with other screech owls.

From Faruk Kizil

>Weißer Kanada-Uhu >Great horned owl >(Bubo virginianus canadensis) > >The picture was taken at a feeding place of a falconer in Netherlands.

From Aaron Throness

>My first eastern screech owl of the season was a sleepy one, but more than made up for its drowsiness with being just downright cute! The other day, it leapt out of its cavity just as the sun was setting and availed itself for a few photogenic portraits before darkness blanketed the woods. I hadn't seem him/her for almost half a year, so it was a great relief and just as great a thrill to hold a reunion!

From Dirk Helmert

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From Lindy Pollard

>It was a good day. I photographed my 2nd Barn Owl at Perkins Peninsula Park, here in Eugene, Oregon. It makes me really appreciate my Nikon P1000 for the Zoom feature. I first heard crows harassing it. Then it flew to a couple of different trees until it landed in a 3rd one where I was able to photograph it. I was lucky it was perched in the sunlight.

From Wild Skies Raptor Center

>Enjoy this photo dump of some of the patients we've seen this year. All of these owls have been released and we still have four in our care. This year, they've come to us for window and auto collisions, gunshots, fishing line, and electricity. Let's appreciate the beauty of these regal raptors and do our part in helping them stay wild.

From Dan Minicucci

>After a night hunting the return to the roost, trilling with big wide eyes.

From Wild Action

>'Bandit' the 15 day old Southern boobook owl and "Gandalf the 24 day old tawny frogmouth. Their growth rate is nothing short of magic!

From Luis Silva

>Short eared owl. Asio flammeus. Figueira da Foz. Portugal. January 2024.

From Rich Hoeg

>Plumage Variations, Morphs, or Phases. All three terms describe feather color differences in birds, and this case specifically owls. > >In the 1st image you are viewing a Great Horned Owl (GHO) adult and owlet. The parent has an "Arctic Phase' coloration to its feathers, which is very white. The photo was taken during June of 2023 in Alberta. > >Arctic Phase Great Horned Owls tend to live well north in Canada where the white coloration helps with camouflage during the snowy season. > >We now move south for a "Desert or Southwest Phase" GHO which I watched hunt in Arizona's Sonoran desert late yesterday afternoon. Its grayish white colors help blend in with the desert habitat.

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>Finally we move to NE Minnesota. This GHO has a more common "Boreal Forest Phase". This particular owl has nested near my home for the past six years. Its brownish gray coloration helps the bird blend in with the white pine in which it is perched.

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From Ali Xaidi

>Hurricane Milton has created quite a predicament for the great horned and barred owls of Florida, forcing one of them to consider nesting in a stadium tower - a choice that seems a bit unconventional but necessary for their survival. While I would have preferred a more traditional nest for them, I am hopeful that they will overcome this challenge as they have in the past. Wishing these resilient RAPTORS all the best, especially after their previous nesting attempt failed due to a poor location choice. > >This image was taken right after this pair mated and then the male flew far away from her across the river to this stadium this behavior explains preparations for the nesting site nearby on a tower.

From Simon Wardle

>Still a little color out there if you work the angles. Eastern Screech Owl.

From NM Wildlife Center

>Most of the animals we admit to our hospital come to us because they have encountered one of the many anthropogenic, or human-caused, dangers in the wild. Great Horned Owl 24-910 is no exception: this bird suffered multiple injuries to his wings when he collided with a barbed wire fence. Barbed wire is dangerous to a lot of animals, but owls are especially susceptible. Most owls hunt in the dark or in very low light, and they fly low to the ground as they swoop down to catch their prey. A barbed wire fence can be nearly invisible in the dark and just the right height to snare a raptor as they fly down to catch their dinner. > >The fence caused injuries to both of 24-910's wings. Since so much skin was damaged at the injury sites, it was not possible to simply sew the holes closed. Instead, Dr. Avery - with assistance from Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager Stephanie - carefully removed some healthy skin from an uninjured area near the owl's leg, sutured that area closed, and used the skin graft to patch one of the barbed wire injuries on 24-910's wing! The other injuries were patched in a similar way using a hydrocolloid wound dressing instead of a skin graft. > >Just a few days after surgery, the skin graft site is healing well and so are the barbed wire injuries on 24-910's wings! The final photo in this series shows the area where the graft was applied and was taken just 4 days after surgery. Barbed wire injuries can be complex to treat and can involve damage to tendons, nerves, and other important structures, but so far we are pleased with 24-910's progress. As you can see in the first photo, this patient definitely still has the fierce attitude of a Great Horned Owl, which is a great sign!

I'll spare you guys the pokey pictures, but the recovery one was too good. The graft looked to be healing very well though, as they mentioned.

From Pedro Nun

Eurasian Scops

Madrid

From TB3 Photography

>I was on my phone with my wife when I saw it sitting on this driftwood in the distance. My exact words were, "Holy S&*%! That's a Snowy Owl." > >It's been almost two years since I've seen one. Last year they were non-existent, so to see one so early in the season this year is very hopeful. > >It didn't stick around for long, however. While I was sure to keep my distance (this image is cropped), it was watching me very closely and flew off very quickly.

From Rob Urquhart

>My favorite owl pic from last year. Northern Harrier and SEO battle over rodent.

In the pic, I couldn't tell which, if, either one, still had possession of the mouse.

I found the photographer shared the photo on that other Superbowl community you may have heard of, and he said the Shortie was the one with a full belly in the end.

From Simon Dentremont

>Even if this species is diurnal (meaning 'active during the day"), they often only come out late, which makes flight photography of them a challenge. This one decided to come out at the time of sundown, but on a cloudy day, so light was scarce. This was shot at f4, 8000. Thankfully my camera's autofocus performs well in low light. > >Short-Eared Owl (In French, Hibou des marais), Sackville, New Brunswick, July 2021.

From Niclas Ahlberg

>A great grey owl hovering just before a dive to catch a vole. The low sun shines through the wings giving them glow. A magic meeting. I hope for more!

From Cody Julie Davis

>I was able to capture a few shots during the last months of summer, excited for the arrival of late fall and the migrators!

From Shaun Sackett

>The Stretch in Flight! This was one of my best years with Great Grey Owls. Forever grateful to see such magnificent birds. Love the moments that are shared with great friends during these times.

From Gülay Sween

Tawny Owl with a very lovely home!

From Pocono Wildlife Rehab

>This is Oz. (Hebrew for Strength / courage) Oz is a long eared owl. This species of owls is considered threatened in Pennsylvania. > >Long eared owls have such acute hearing they can catch prey in complete darkness. They also roost in large numbers in the winter which can make them easier to spot. > >These owls have a vocalization that mimics a bark and their facial expression always appears surprised. They have long ear tufts that look like exclamation points but are actually an adaptation that helps them to blend into trees to camouflage. These tufts aren't ears at all. Owls' ears are located on the sides of their heads, behind their eyes. > >Unfortunately Oz has a pretty significant fracture. He will be joining Spirit for a road trip to Radnor Veterinary Hospital today. if anyone can perform miracles it's Dr. Len Donato and his staff! Please send Oz lots of love and light.

>Update: >0z made it through surgery 🥰 >Hopefully the external fixator stays put.

From Chuck Ramsey

>I spotted this GHO in heavy foliage on a late afternoon walk through Cedar Creek Cemetery in Montrose Colorado. It was a challenge to get a clear shot of the eyes, but this image showed them off nicely.

From Simon Litten

You guys liked the early hours Shortie from the other day, so I thought you'd enjoy this too.

From Jan Re

No info given on this, but I thought it was a pretty photo so I'm sharing it anyway!