Catty Face

Short eared owl, locally known as catty faces, because of their wide flat faces.

This one was hunting up on the cliff tonight, lit by the setting sun. As soon as I saw it flying towards us I hunkered down in the grass but it was intrigued by Ollie and sat on the fence post, watching him. Ollie snuffled about, I don't think he even knew the owl was there, and it sat for ages, looking around, ruffling its feathers, lifting its feet, stretching . . . before suddenly seeing me and flying silently away.

I watched it as it glided along with hardly a wing beat, following the fence lines, the edges of the recently cut silage fields, hunting for little voles and mice in the verges . . . .

Edit - I've put more photos of this very patient owl on my folio page . . .