The owl is there again

I’m still on a high after seeing the Short-Eared Owl this morning. What a special and spectacular bird, especially so close up that I could barely focus on it from inside the car. I’m driving back home, happy and carefree, when I see it again. I’ve still got my camera belted up next to me on the passenger seat and my windows are open, so I just have to manoeuvre the car into position without it flying. It’s slightly further from the road this time:

Short-Eared Owl - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

It’s great to see it without its ‘threat’ ears showing. I watch it for an age:

Short-Eared Owl - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

It’s scanning, looking for likely prey and predators. Eventually it takes off and flies to a succession of posts along the fence-line. Then it flies across the fields. I turn the car around, park, get out, and hide behind the car door, watching it hunt:

Short-Eared Owl - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

It’s heading over the field, going extraordinarily close to a farm building, before it comes sweeping back towards me:

Short-Eared Owl - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

It makes the occasional unsuccessful dive but reappears without a tasty Orkney Vole.

Short-Eared Owl - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

Then it sweeps past me and is gone.

Nature is the ultimate in stimulants.

More Short-Eared Owls

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