Up close and personal

Most birding seems to require long trips out and distant views of small birds in a bush. The dusky warbler in Weymouth is a case in point with fleeting views of a very small bird in a bush over a hundred yards way!!!It makes a nice change therefore to have something which is not only close to where I live but a very attractive subject. Three short-eared owls have taken up Winter residence on an old landfill site no more than 3 miles from my house. I've been before but in poor light so when the day dawned brighter I decided to give it another go.
I got there just after 2 with broken cloud and a chilly wind blowing. There were a few others on site already but the owls weren't up yet. It was pretty quiet but the local kestrel was trying to keep the vole population in check!

We kept scanning the fields and about 2.20 the first owl was spotted coming up off its daytime roost. They just hunker down in the grass then suddenly appear.

This one was up hunting almost immediately, quartering the fields then diving down onto an unsuspecting small rodent.

Within 10 minutes a second bird was in the air and then finally the third one joined them.

Generally they appeared to tolerate each other quite well though one did perch up onto a small post nearby and called as if it was getting a bit territorial. They don't breed here though and will be gone in a few weeks to their breeding grounds up North.

They also used the bushes and trees as perches from which to go off hunting, giving the assembled crowd the chance to see them a bit better. They never let you get very close though so next time I think I may take my hide by one they seem to favour!

The other residents of the site were not too keen on them though. Firstly the crows kept hassling them whenever they flew too close.

As the light was starting to go a red kite, quite common around here now, drifted over and that created a major stir. Two of the owls set off to drive it away. They were almost too close, right over our heads. A great sight but challenging to photograph as you could not get both in focus at the same time.

By now it was getting towards 4 and the light was fading fast. The owls were still hunting and drifting over the scrubby grass even coming right over my head at one time.

Beautiful birds and a superb afternoon in good company as well. No doubt about it, I will be back.