Suburban Bush Adventures

Today I saw a group of magpies attacking an owl at midday. I was completely shocked, not just at the sight of the owl, but also at a magpie in flight clutching it by the shoulders with the tactics you'd expect of a hawk. The victim tipped and spun like a fighter jet to dislodge his attacker and then plunged into a hedge for protection. He didn't stay there long though, as a passerby frightened him back into the sky where he was trailed by a pack of screeching black devils. All I could do was pray he survived. Later, I worked out he was a Southern Boobook, the smallest and most common owl in Australia. The online description stated, "If the species is seen during the day, it is usually roosting among dense foliage, being scolded by various small birds." I think it copped a bit more than a scolding! Of course, this all happened so quickly I thought of taking a photo but didn't even have time to grab the camera!