Once in a while nature really does spring surprises. This afternoon I was on my way back from the local recycling centre (green waste from the garden). The sky was dark overhead, and there were sharp showers in the air. I stopped off at the local site where I go to photograph kestrels, and sat in the car while the rain passed over.
It was cold and windy, and there was little to see. I started heading over to where the kestrels are sometimes perching. I took a few shots of a skylark overhead. I was heading across to a small thicket when a dog walker called over and asked if I'd seen anything interesting. I hadn't, but he then asked if I'd seen the owls. Owls? No, never here. In fact, never anywhere in the wild. Ever. He went on to say that there were a pair that were sometimes seen here (I've been visiting the site for a couple of years or so, and I've neither seen owls nor heard anyone mention them). Intriguing. We parted company, and he went off with his dogs. I started the search for kestrels.
A minute or so later I saw him signalling to me. I headed over, and he pointed into the far distance. Sure enough a large bird was making long low circles at the top of the valley. Even with the 400mm lens, this is all I could see.
At that distance I certainly couldn't identify it. The colouring looked a bit like a buzzard, but the behaviour was wrong. I watched as it started to widen its circle, slowly heading towards us.
Keeping track as it crossed the grass wasn't easy, and I was too intent on tracking it to keep a close eye on the camera settings. Fortunately the light was good and as it came in closer I could see that it was indeed an owl :faint:
On checking further when I got home, I can confirm the identification as a short-eared owl. They are more commonly seen in the north of England, but do over-winter in the south. They are unusual among owls in hunting in daylight, but for all that they are relatively rarely seen.
I did manage one shot of a kestrel, but today belongs to the owl. No doubts at all. The full sequence is over on my other site.
Sometime the unexpected is truly unexpected! And thank you to the dog walker (if you ever find this blog). A really great 'spot'!
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
Flying Red Fox Blog
28 Mar 2009Yay thats very good. 😀 Its very handy to have someone else pointing out something, its like good teamwork and helps to catch perfect shots.
Wonder of the Fox will be willing to get snapped tonight?
Dudley
28 Mar 2009That is good news. :yes:
Words
28 Mar 2009Mark, yes.. it's kind of spooky, the way the owl appeared within a minute or two of him mentioning it. I'm often down there at that sort of time and have never even glimpsed one. I'm not going to hassle the foxes tonight though. I've just left the trail cam up there. They don't mind that at all, don't even notice it and at least I'll know what is going on. I'm waiting for the morning (hopefully soon) when I see cubs on the footage. And then I'll sit out all night if I have to 😉
Words
28 Mar 2009Thanks Andy! That one's been a long time in the waiting. 😀
CedarFox
29 Mar 2009That’s awesome, congrats!
SittingFox
29 Mar 2009You are having a good run of sightings at the moment! Spectacular bird – I've never seen it, but then our more wooded line of hills aren't its preferred habitat.
:up:
Words
29 Mar 2009Adele, I guess it's the time of year when things start happening, but this was one I really didn't expect at that location. Needless to say, I'll be heading back there!
Words
29 Mar 2009Thanks Eric!
Vulpes vulpes
29 Mar 2009WOW!!! Congrats! That is some sighting indeed. :hat:
Cynthia23
29 Mar 2009Oh, yeah! Great!!
cakkleberrylane
29 Mar 2009WOW! Excellent sighting! Very beautiful bird! We seldom see or hear owls during the daylight and they are extremely difficult to photograph at night. How nice that you met the dog walker!
Words
29 Mar 2009Thanks Cynthia!
Words
29 Mar 2009Thanks Vulpes. That was a big one for me 😀
Words
29 Mar 2009Lois, it still strikes me as so bizarre that he mentioned owls, and then there it was. The short-eareds are unusual in that they hunt during the daylight hours, but certainly not a common sight round here.
Ukwildlife
30 Mar 2009Great sighting. Ive never seen a short eared (or long eared for that matter) owl. Well done for getting anything at that distance 🙂
Words
30 Mar 2009Thanks Neil. The light had just dropped below the cloud cover which helped hugely. I'm delighted (need I say). 😀
Mickeyjoe-Irl
30 Mar 2009Just seems strange to see an owl in the bright sunshine.
Words
30 Mar 2009Absolutely!
annoushkiss
31 Mar 2009Nice surprise and a great opportunity for you, Words! :up: And of course you have used it 100 per cent :yes:
Words
31 Mar 2009Thanks Anna. A huge surprise!
BitzyMe
4 Apr 2009How exciting………..! It's so wonderful to capture a bird that you don't normally see. Spring is arriving slowly here but some of the migratory birds are beginning to return,, Canadian geese, mallard ducks and huge flocks of grackels and of course the robins. I actually discovered last weekend that the hooded mergansers I caught last April have returned to the same pond… Yipppeeeeee! This spring I have a bit better lens (Nikkor 70×300) so perhaps I will have a better opportunity!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitzyme/3393380098/sizes/l/
Words
4 Apr 2009That's great Bitzy, when you start to get to know the folocks or individuals and they come back to the same site. We've a couple of mallards that (apparently) visit the same ornamental pond each spring. Just one pair, but they enjoy it! And good luck with the new lens!
BitzyMe
6 Apr 2009Did spot some mergansers today…way off in the distance so they are around. Also caught a few shots of a Beaver..! That was quite an unexpected surprise.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitzyme/3415284765/in/photostream/
Words
6 Apr 2009Nice shot you've got there. There are lots of debates about reintroducing them in the UK, with I think a few localized and controlled programmes. Lovely to see!
BitzyMe
6 Apr 2009Thanks Words..!
Beavers are very difficult to control but they are part of the "big scheme" in ecology here. They do support other life by way of their engineering skills. Quite interesting animals. It is rare to see them during the day.
They've been known to alter the course of sizable streams, brooks and small ponds with their dams.
FrogBoots
7 Apr 2009Wow! Fantastic shots, and great luck, Words! :up: 🙂
Words
7 Apr 2009Thanks FB!