South Warwickshire at its best
It was warm and sunny and we got out the folding chairs and admired the view using our binoculars. It wasn't long before another boat arrived and moored up close to us. They also got out the folding chairs, cracked open a bottle of wine and started looking through binoculars. They didn't look across the valley towards Napton as I expected, where there is the best view), they looked at the wheat field. It soon became obvious that they were looking at birds flitting across the top of the crop. Quite soon they and us spotted a buzzard perched on the top of a power-line post. This looked interesting but not that easy to photograph. It was then they let slip that mooring at Napton they had heard stories of barn owls in this spot.
Barn owl arrives & hovers
Within minutes, and unannounced because they are silent on the wing, a barn owl arrived. I got out the SLR and then started snapping. The owl put on a good show swooping low across the field. It look glorious in the late evening sunlight. It then disappeared for a few moments only to reappear, swop down into the crop, and then fly off with its kill - a small rodent held in one claw. Presumably going back to its nest and hungry young.
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| Patrolling the hedge |
Barn owl and prey
Just one claw required!
Glorious sunset at Wormleighton
A great sight and a great mooring!
