I have ticks!

I started the day with a great long and boring 'to do' list - and much of it has been ticked off - hoorah!

Mum has slept most of the day, which I think her poor old body needs as all the coughing is just wearing her out.

After doing my chores I drove around my local patch, but saw very little. There was a beautiful barn owl on a roadside post, but I was driving slightly too fast to stop in time for a photo. As I drove home I glanced into the 'owl field', where I often see the recently photographed short eared owl (sometimes there are two of them), and a hunting barn owl. Today there were two barn owls hunting in the gloom of dusk.

I stopped to watch.

I was recently reprimanded in a Facebook wildlife group for a close-up photo of an owl - being accused of getting too close and bothering the bird.

What that particular birder seems unaware of is the curiosity of birds - owls in particular.

On both occasions I was sitting in my van with the window open, when the curious owl flew over to peer at me.

Today I made the big mistake of speaking to it (I know!) ..  and off it flew - to continue its distant hunting.

To anyone interested in technicalities - this photo was taken in terrible gloom at ISO 16000 on my 7D Mk2 - hence the graininess.