Sound of Silence

One of the gorgeous barn owls on the hills today, silently swooping over the grasses in search of a meal.

I had been standing with my lens on a tripod facing one direction in positively icy conditions for quite some time (hours) with fingers I could barely feel when he came silently over from behind me nearly taking my hat off. He's getting well practised at this ploy having done it before and I swear he just waits for me to turn my back then wham .... probably giggling as he goes just for the fun of it.