Stumbling upon Short-Eared Owls
I volunteer for a children’s charity and we’re having a meeting of our trustees in Oxfordshire. I check a map and see we’ll be meeting next to RSPB Otmoor. I’ve been to RSPB Otmoor before, back in 2017 and had an idyllic day there.
There were butterflies:
Rare birds:
And some inspiration to look back at my old Ladybird books, with beautiful views of Linnets:
This is my chance to go there again, after our trustee meeting.
It’s mid-afternoon when I arrive and see photographers there, and one kindly tells me there are Short-Eared Owls about. I wait and sure enough, one flies past.
Those eyes, though. Incredible, aren’t they?
I love how long owl’s legs are. You’d never guess it unless you saw them.
I can see two in the air at the same time, with four Magpies in attendance:
They are so high and distant now, but I can see them interacting with one another, and one is briefly upside-down with its talons in the air.
The light’s not good and it’s getting dark unreasonably early, but I’m too fascinated by the owl’s hunting behaviour to leave. I love the twist and plunge it does.
I haven’t seen it catch anything yet, tonight.
There’s always tomorrow.
More Short-Eared Owls
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