Posted by Simon Litten on March 24, 2008 at 8:27 AM
Hi all
Contrary to the weather forecast, my part of Norfolk woke up to four inches of snow this morning! (is it me or are the forecasts getting worse?). A quick trip to my barn owl "hang-out" and caught this little fella napping, half covered in snow.
Simon
Canon 1dMkIIn 400mm f7.1 1/400 iso 320
Posted by Rene de Heer on March 24, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Very atmospheric, maybe a tighter crop would work here as well! Still very nice.
Rene de Heer
Posted by Andy Shepherd on March 24, 2008 at 8:47 AM
Lovely shot Simon , looks like he's been out hunting from all that snow on his face.
Andy...
Posted by Simon Litten on March 24, 2008 at 9:04 AM
There's a tighter crop on my website, Rene - with a bit of eye-contact as well.
Simon
Posted by Andy Astbury on March 24, 2008 at 9:09 AM
I do like the one on your website Simon - very nice image
Posted by jack chapman on March 24, 2008 at 10:03 AM
brilliant animal and setting, prefer the one on your website though
Posted by Dave Bartlett on March 24, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Great image and setting. I too will join those who prefer the website version.
Hoping for some snow here, but all we got was driving sleet and rain.
Dave
Posted by Paul Inglis on March 24, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Hi Simon,
Cracking capture! I prefer this image to the one on your website!
Posted by David Kjaer on March 24, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Hi Simon
Just been talking with a friend in Norfolk who this year has found three dead Barn Owls and his thoughts were and I agree that this bird is probably now dead - it certainly does not look well. Many have been dying of starvation as it has been a poor year for hunting, especially with constant high winds!
David
Posted by Major Gilbert on March 24, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Agree with David on this one re situation of Barn Owl. Originally I thought that there was an explosion of voles earlier on as most seemed to be hunting and catching loads. Today I witnessed at least four together all diving for something but finishing up with nothing. One I found this morning had just run out of steam and had stopped where it was exhausted. Found the same bird this afternoon perched in a tree looking very sad. Many will die of starvation I am afraid.
Major.
Posted by Anthony House on March 24, 2008 at 5:41 PM
They will eat dead mice if you place them on their favourite perch..........
My mate found one the other day in the same state, took it home with him while I got in contact with Vince from the Barn Owl centre. Vince found a local falconer who came and picked up the Owl, this Owl is now making a full recovery and will be released back into the wild in the near future. This bird too was on the brink of death through starvation....
Get the mouse traps out and give them a helping hand, worth a go I think...
Posted by Major Gilbert on March 24, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Day old chicks are much quicker to get hold off as an alternative.
Major.
Posted by Simon Litten on March 24, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Hi all
Returned to the same spot this evening and watched one hunting - hopefully the same one - so there may be hope for him. Did witness a very lethargic one last week that would only fly about twenty feet at a time, and have noticed that the local population has dropped recently, I put it down to the foriegn owls returning home, but maybe not. Looks like doom and gloom on the barn owl front.
Simon
Posted by eric weight on March 25, 2008 at 3:08 AM
Day olds are a heap cheaper than 'pinkies' ( small mice). I wonder if re-introductions are as widely spread as they could be. Don't know much about them I'm afraid, but so many barn Owls seem to be appearing where I have never seen them before, that I am assuming that this is what is going on.
A great picture by the way that tells an interesting story. Eric
Totally agree with David and Major on this one,sadly. For this Barn Owl to be out hunting and covered in snow, it has to be starving, and very much doubt it will last much longer . A lot of their favourite habitat near me is water meadow and it is totally flooded at the moment and my pair has not returned to their nest box yet, although I know they are roosting in a Barn about 600m up the road. I have my fingers crossed that they make it through the next few weeks. I don't think we are going to see the good vole numbers or early first egg dates and second broodswe had last season.
Discussion
15 repliesContrary to the weather forecast, my part of Norfolk woke up to four inches of snow this morning! (is it me or are the forecasts getting worse?). A quick trip to my barn owl "hang-out" and caught this little fella napping, half covered in snow.
Simon
Canon 1dMkIIn 400mm f7.1 1/400 iso 320
Rene de Heer
Lovely shot Simon , looks like he's been out hunting from all that snow on his face.
Andy...
Simon
Hoping for some snow here, but all we got was driving sleet and rain.
Dave
Cracking capture! I prefer this image to the one on your website!
Bertl Menegoni
Innsbruck
Austria
Just been talking with a friend in Norfolk who this year has found three dead Barn Owls and his thoughts were and I agree that this bird is probably now dead - it certainly does not look well. Many have been dying of starvation as it has been a poor year for hunting, especially with constant high winds!
David
Major.
My mate found one the other day in the same state, took it home with him while I got in contact with Vince from the Barn Owl centre. Vince found a local falconer who came and picked up the Owl, this Owl is now making a full recovery and will be released back into the wild in the near future. This bird too was on the brink of death through starvation....
Get the mouse traps out and give them a helping hand, worth a go I think...
Major.
Returned to the same spot this evening and watched one hunting - hopefully the same one - so there may be hope for him. Did witness a very lethargic one last week that would only fly about twenty feet at a time, and have noticed that the local population has dropped recently, I put it down to the foriegn owls returning home, but maybe not. Looks like doom and gloom on the barn owl front.
Simon
A great picture by the way that tells an interesting story.
Totally agree with David and Major on this one,sadly. For this Barn Owl to be out hunting and covered in snow, it has to be starving, and very much doubt it will last much longer
Regards
Rob