Tawny owl in our garage!

[Nicos]

A couple of days ago my OH was putting our boxes of Xmas decorations away into the roof area of our lean to garage/ shelter.

As he climbed the ladder a tawny owl flew out passing right next to him.
No sound, but the rush of air as it whizzed by!

it didn't seem to be there yesterday though sadly.

I was wondering if it was looking for a nesting area and was having a kip in there?

What with today's sparrowhawk as well, it seems to be my OH's week for seeing birds of prey!

[Hazel at the Hill]

I once sneaked into the big teaching covered area in London Zoo once whilst they were holding talk on birds, and they were showing how different birds had adapted and evolved.

They sent a parrot flying across the arena which was full of flutters and squaws and flaps and rustles; then an owl. Utter silence - absolutely incredible.

[Hazel at the Hill]

It was on that same trip I was in the avian section, slowly walking up to each enclosure, looking inside to see the birds, reading the information cards about habitat and lifestyle etc; then having another look in and appreciating the marvels that mother nature has to show. (I know how to get serious value for money out of my entrance fee!)

One of the enclosures had me stumped, though - it was supposed to hold a couple of 'eagle owls', which I would guess from the name would be mighty impressive. I peered in for ages, and couldn't see anything bird-like. I got closer and closer looking from all angles into all the recesses and corners. Not a thing. Hmm.

It was only as I was going for a final nose-one-inch-from-the-wires intense scrutiny that I had one of those 'magic eye' moments and the greenery pressed up against the wires resolved itself into a two foot tower of feathers, and I found myself up against two fearsome orange eyes not six inches from my own.

Didn't half make me jump!

[Glutton4...]

I was driving home from the Stables a couple of weeks before Christmad. It was late afternoon, just thinking about turning dusk, when a Barn Owl appeared over the hedge and flew alongside my car for a few seconds. Fab!

Twice last year, in the autumn, I have had the pleasure of driving behind a Kite. Probably the same one, as it was along the same patch of lane, just outside the Stables.

Just before Christmad, we also saw a Kingfisher at the Stables.

Hares and Badgers are also a common sight, as are Foxes. Kind of makes up for all the ruddy Pigeons and Waaabits.