Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus

One of my favourite birds. They are winter visitors in my part of the world, and the numbers vary from year to year. This species is often very trusting, even curious, of humans where they are not harassed and it is always a thrill when one of them flies straight toward you, looking you straight in the eye before making a close (sometimes very close indeed) pass before going about its business. This species quite often hunts by day, particularly toward evening, and I have spent many hundreds of hours sitting quietly watching these birds which share their winter grounds with barn owls, hen harriers, kestrels, buzzards and the occasional peregrine. Many of their kills (mostly voles) are stolen by kestrels, which although smaller than the owls are very persistent and aggressive and will chase the owls high into the air before snatching the vole from the owl's feet.

I often crop my photographs more "openly" than most other photographers, with more space around the bird. This is quite deliberate, as I prefer to show the bird in its habitat (where the image is suited to that purpose). To me it gives a better impression of the true nature of the bird - which is the wild animal in its time and in its place. 

I will let the pictures say the rest.

Through the Car Window at Point-blank Range

Resting on a Bed of Straw

Fly-by

Who's Watching Who?

Hunting the Rough Grassland of the Lincolnshire Fens

Passing Close By

Serious Eye Contact!