Sometimes Burrowing owls catch bugs dramatically in mid-air, or they make a sudden pounce to catch them on the ground. In this case the male owl was walking along, saw the beetle, walked casually over to it and traped by simply stepping on it.
The Prairie Dogs in the area let out their alert calls, and this guy chirped a bit and headed for the safety of the burrow hole. I never saw what upset everyone, but suspect a coyote may have been passing through.
Up at the cabin this morning, these two House Wren babies were pushing their way out of the nest box. Ten seconds after the first picture, they were soaring to a nearby bush and officially became fledgelings. Note the leftover baby feathers on the head.
