Barn owls over the River Great Ouse

[colincurry]

I biked down to the river this afternoon, taking advantage of the sunshine; and hoping for fieldfares and redwings. I did see both, but not where they might be photographed.

I made my way to the bottom of the bank alongside the river when I saw a barn owl perch in a shrub about 250 yards away - best foot forward. Of course, it flew off long before I could get close enough but I did get these two snaps as it flew up over the bank and across the river - naturally, I had set my camera hoping to get a static shot and did not have time to change it for these flight shots - all part of what we do (at least my battery was charged and CF card empty!)





I clambered up on top of the bank and waited hopefully. In the meantime, the owl had circled round out of sight, had made a kill and then flew back up the river - I don't know what it caught?



I went further down stream looking for a kingfisher only to find a man standing in the river and washing his dog - gave that up as a bad job. I then re-traced my steps upstream and saw two barn owls coursing the riverbank. By then, the light was pretty poor and this was the result



And, finally, this owl turned to look at me with his back towards the setting sun, and then took off across the fields



Colin

[JeffH]

Some nice shots there Colin.

But if you're still after Fieldfares and Redwings try Fen Drayton Lakes - there were literally thousands of them feeding in the hawthorn hedges on either side of the entrance road this morning

Jeff