It feels like it has been some time since I went on a proper walk, with the camera over the shoulder, hoping to find some local wildlife, but it has been raining every day for what seems like weeks. Then a cold, but sunny day comes along so it was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.
In the morning I set out to where I’d seen a long eared owl on two occasions, perched on a branch on the edge of a wood (see below). But, nothing there! I continued my walk and did see a hare in the distance. Then, on the way back, I could see something white and small in the distance. Looking through my camera telephoto lens I was pretty sure it was a stoat. However, I didn’t think there would be any chance to get close, but it did seem to be heading in a direction where I thought there might be the possibility of seeing it. And that’s exactly what happened. I was able to make my way down a track and keep behind a crumbling wall. It was darting about all over the place, hardly keeping still for a second. It was fantastic to see it, with it’s white winter coat. It’s not every day you can get to see one, never mind get a decent photo.
But that’s not the end of it!
Later in the afternoon I decided I’d go out to a different area. To see if a barn owl I know about, was out hunting. There are actually two locations nearby where you might see a barn owl. I was going to one of them, when I got a call from my partner to meet her on the lane. You might wonder why I’m telling you this. Well, it meant I would then go past the other barn owl location, the one I wasn’t going to go to. And if this hadn’t happened I wouldn’t have seen the barn owl. I got to the barn and to my surprise an owl swooped across the field. Initially I thought it had seen me and was flying away. However, it came back and it was apparent it was hunting. I watched it for about five minutes, going back and to across the field, before it headed back into its barn – without having found anything to eat.
I mentioned recently that I went out hoping to spot a long-eared owl — well here it is! A couple of years ago, I stumbled across one completely by accident while out walking. I noticed a small group of people photographing something up in the trees, and to my surprise, it was an owl. Unfortunately, I never saw it there again after that day. Then recently, someone I know shared a photo in a local Facebook group of a long-eared owl — and it turned out to be in almost the same spot. I went to check one morning and found it perched on a branch not far from where I’d seen the previous one. I’ve since gone back and it was sitting in the very same tree again. Fingers crossed I’ll get to see it there again.
To finish this article, below are some photos of other sightings whilst on recent walks (when it wasn’t raining). The brown hair was quite far away, but it was still good to see, as I haven’t seen one for months. The buzzard was one of several flying over the moorland one morning. Then there’s the heron. A very common sight near where I live. And finally, a male chaffinch and a mistle thrush.
All in all, not a bad selection of wildlife, very close to home.
