Surprise

The light catching on its wings against a bruised sky was an unexpected treat as I'd packed up and started my drive home with nothing on camera at that point.

The afternoon had started well. I hadn't even turned the car engine off when I saw JDO walking down the lane which I'd like to say was a pleasant surprise but actually was really a given but pleasant none-the-less as the sun had come out so any owler worth her salt was out and about touting a lens.

I hadn't realised how very windy it was till we came out through the trees onto the hill top and I just knew that having a long lens and tripod was never going to happen as it would get blown around like a flag on a pole. The other blindingly obvious thing was that an owl out hunting would be struggling not only against the force of the wind but against the noise it made. It did come in waves and we both hoped as we stood there that an owl or anything would possibly appear in the lulls. 

On the plus side we had a good old natter and were joined by other photographers with the same hopes and aspirations for the afternoons shooting. However much later going up to 4pm with nothing appearing and time matching on I left them to it. It was only driving down the bottom of the field that I suddenly spotted the owl and yes there was a parking space. There is an owl god!