Yesterday, me and Sparky went for a walk on what I call the Red Kite walk, because we always see Red Kites and I wanted to try and get that elusive pin sharp photo. So we set off, me with all my camera gear on my back and Sparky footloose and fancy free!! We saw plenty of kites and on the way back noticed some people in a field with cameras, most with telephoto lenses! Hm! Bit of a give-away. So with Sparky nice and warm on his blanket in the car, I made my way over, meeting two nice ladies who informed me that a barn owl had been quartering the field regularly. Low and behold, there he was. Actually, I don’t know if it was a he or a her! But what a beauty! I was well pleased, well pleased doesn’t really cover it – I was over the moon. I have always wanted to see a barn owl at close quarters. He didn’t seem to be bothered by 6 of us watching and went about hunting with amazing ease. It was just perfect grassy tufts/scrub that mice and voles live in. Needless to say, I took a load of photos and didn’t even realise that I’d managed to snap him actually devouring a mouse. The pictures are below.
First after the owl catches its prey it mantles it. Covers it with its wings.
Then it pops it in the mouth and swallows it whole.
Hmmmmm! That was goooood!!!
I was sooooo chuffed!!!!