S.Phifer Photography

S.Phifer Photography Wildlife photographer in Oregon. Love owls, mustangs, and all that Oregon offers.

There are two emergency round ups happening in SE Oregon...the first one is the Sheepshead/Heath Creek hma and the secon...
09/06/2026

There are two emergency round ups happening in SE Oregon...the first one is the Sheepshead/Heath Creek hma and the second is the Riddle Mountain hma. There was a wildfire in the Riddle area. It also crossed over into the Northern part of the Sheepshead hma, but the bigger issue for that area has been the drought.

From the BLM website it was set to begin on September 2nd, but there haven’t been any daily reports yet. The Riddle one is set to begin on the 9th.

The horses won’t be available for a while, but now is the perfect time to make preparations if you might be interested.

There are also wild Oregon burros available. They were rounded up in June, due to trespassing issues. This one makes me sad. There aren’t many in the wild in this state...I think the last count was around 60. Some of them are available on the BLM internet auction, which starts this next week.

The purpose of this post is to raise awareness that these horses and burros will be needing homes. There are some incredible beauties out there! Feel free to share with people who may be interested.

First 5 photos are Warm Springs hma burros, next 5 are Sheepshead/Heath Creek hma horses, and the last 5 are Riddle Mountain hma horses.

I’ve been waiting for a rainy day to share this little guy. He’s the youngest of 4 Great Gray babies and was such a tro...
09/03/2026

I’ve been waiting for a rainy day to share this little guy. He’s the youngest of 4 Great Gray babies and was such a trooper. He was significantly younger than the other ones and was on the forest floor for longer than usual. On this particular morning, there was a pretty good rain shower that went through and he got drenched. I was worried about him being able to compete for food with the others, but dad was a rockstar and they all made it to their dispersal age. I hope they are all doing well in the great big world!

The PNW has been enjoying the rain showers this week. So wonderful!

A collection from the Cascades over the last couple weeks. I love the variety of animals that can be found at different...
08/29/2026

A collection from the Cascades over the last couple weeks. I love the variety of animals that can be found at different elevations along the Cascade Mt. range in Oregon. From wild horses to cute little pika. I was surprised to find a Black-tailed buck up where the majority of the deer are Mule deer.

Pokegama hma wild horse
Pika
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Pika
Black-tailed Deer

Growing up with horses I was always fascinated by colors, but it wasn’t until I started photographing the South Steens h...
08/10/2026

Growing up with horses I was always fascinated by colors, but it wasn’t until I started photographing the South Steens horses that I really understood the silver gene. There are some gorgeous horses with that gene out on the range. Here are a few gorgeous examples.

Maestro
Quicksilver
Mystique
Excalibur

Here is a great description from the UC Davis website - The horse silver dilution lightens black/brown pigment but has no effect on red/yellow pigment. The mane and tail are typically lightened to flaxen or a silver gray color, but may darken with age on some horses. Those with the silver mutation may have dappling in their coat. A solid black horse with the silver dilution will be chocolate-colored with a lightened mane and tail. A bay horse with the silver dilution will have lightened black pigment on the lower legs and flaxen mane and tail. Silver dilution is inherited as a dominant trait.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to find an owl that I really didn’t think I would ever get the chance to see...a ...
08/05/2026

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to find an owl that I really didn’t think I would ever get the chance to see...a Flammulated Owl!!!

They are even smaller than I imagined and their camouflage is amazing! This is the female, but I also found the male as he started his hunt the evening before. Their diet is completely made up of insects.

Nature is pretty incredible!

International Owl Awareness Day not only celebrates these beautiful birds but also serves as a call to action for their ...
08/05/2026

International Owl Awareness Day not only celebrates these beautiful birds but also serves as a call to action for their protection, raising awareness for conservation, and encouraging practical steps to safeguard owl species for future generations.

Here are a few special moments from this Spring. I will never take these sightings for granted. If you are lucky enough to spend time with an owl, treasure that and help protect them. This can be as simple as not sharing locations...it is okay to share a photo and not put the location. Even labeling it with a park or refuge can do more harm than you realize.

Help support conservation efforts...there are good people out there doing great things!
..and if you have the opportunity, put up a nest box and offer a safe place for owls to raise their babies.
Owl Research Institute (ORI)

I’m n my previous post, I shared a photo of this handsome South Steens stallion. His name is Kamaran and you’ll notice ...
07/29/2026

I’m n my previous post, I shared a photo of this handsome South Steens stallion. His name is Kamaran and you’ll notice that he has a pretty little snowflake blanket. Along with the pretty appaloosa markings, he has the prettiest eyes!

He was born in 2019, and along with several of his brothers, they all managed to elude both round ups. It would be so interesting to know how they managed that.

A few of the handsome young stallions in the Steens.
07/24/2026

A few of the handsome young stallions in the Steens.

Sometimes Great Gray Owls blend in with the bark of the tree they are perched on and other times they look like they are...
07/21/2026

Sometimes Great Gray Owls blend in with the bark of the tree they are perched on and other times they look like they are just an extension of a stump.

This photo marks county number 7 in Oregon that I have found great grays in. So cool!

07/18/2026

I was checking a dry canyon for Long-eared Owls. I had found a nest earlier this spring and I could see fresh sign under the bigger juniper trees. I followed the sign from tree to tree until I heard the unmistakable beak clapping of young owls. I looked up and there they were! It may be public land, but it belongs to them. I slowly backed away and wished them well!

Did you spot the third one?

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Salt River, AZ

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