Can you believe my luck, whilst out this evening exploring a new area the dam owl in flight syndrome struck again! I had gained permission from the local landowner to access his pastures and during my search I accidentally flushed out a beautiful barnie. I don't know who was more shocked at the time him or me but I did managed to react quick enough (or so I thought) to grab a couple of shots. Well knowing what my track record has been like lately I wasn't at all surprised to see that both images were out of focus and.......you guessed it........more backendersl!!!!
I'm gunna surprise myself one day and get a flight shot with a face on it!
After the flight shot farce I moved on searching the area, I then noticed in the distance (2 fields away) a very nice looking tree that just oozed little owl. I inspected it with my binoculars and there was a suspicious looking shape that needed further investigation. I got 50 yards closer and checked it out again.....RESULT......little owl!!!!.........no hang on a moment, lets get it right, little owls!!!!
Although very difficult to make out from the heavily cropped image (below) but both birds are just visible. Bird No 1 is right in the centre with a bit of black bark immediately to its right and No 2 bird is slightly above and right of bird No 1 but its almost the same colour as the bark. Hard to see???? You wanna bet they are!!
I then jumped a stream, climbed a gate, jumped another stream (wet left foot), got caught up on a barbed wire fence (ripped jeans) and finally forced my way through a hawthorn hedge to get a closer look. Dam and blast just as I was about to take an image both birds together they took off (nearly another backender!!). I followed them very cautiously along the hedgerow and finally managed just the one image before they disappeared.
Site 102, Leire - Valley View Farm Site B.
