Sunday 5 April 2015

Hibou Moyen-duc Video

Yesterday evening we were sitting in our living room and, as I glanced out of the window, I could see the Long-eared owl in the large willow next to the house.

I filmed it for a few minutes and managed to capture it preening itself ready for flight.

The light was fading and I was shooting through the double-glazed window and into the sunset so the image isn't as clear as it might have been but it is clear enough to show the remarkable preening ritual the owl went through...

Take a look....

Seconds after I stopped filming (the battery ran out!) it took flight but even if I'd still had the camera running I doubt I would have been quick enough to capture its take off.. I'm just happy with what I've got.

We feel so lucky and privileged to have this normally shy and secretive bird living alongside us and seeming not at all phased by our comings and goings about the garden.

Thanks to Colin for taking the time and trouble to prepare the video for publishing!

3 comments:

Tim said...

Well done Elizabeth...
lovely shots...
those wings are very long in comparison to the bird, hence the contortions to preen down the whole length of the primaries...
I particularly like the all over shakedown at the end to get everything back into position!!

Colin and Elizabeth said...

Just watched it doing exactly the same thing tonight. Must be a pre hunting shake down!

Jean said...

How fascinating, well done for capturing the process on film.
I wonder if you ever thought you would witness such a thing in your own back garden, never mind film it!