Focus

I said this yesterday and I've said it before. Sometimes, I think about wanting to see a bird and peculiarly, it appears.

This afternoon was Keith's funeral so this morning, I just went for a wander around the fields and lanes gathering my thoughts. I took a rather sombre photo of some ivy on a tree trunk. It was in attractive dappled light but I didn't want it to be the reflection on my day. I took the wild blackberries which are ripening nicely and a butterfly sitting on them later on. Better.

As I walked up through the field, I spotted an oak tree and thought that it would be lovely to see a little owl again as I'd not seen one in ages. I kept looking in the branches as oaks are where they're often spotted but no luck. I concluded given I'd walked these lanes a fair few times and never spotted one, I was pushing it.

Walking along the top lane, I heard a bird call and thought how good it would be to know all bird calls then I'd know what was around the corner. This particular call, I was getting closer to and could see a tree I thought it was coming from. I paused to take a closer look, thinking it was a thrush, and...

Lo and behold!

A juvenile, I think.

In fact, those eyes have been my focus for the afternoon. Keith's service was full of good memories and chuckles from his past but I'm a bit of an emotional sort and have to steel myself against becoming a wreck.

Those eyes were in every corner of the church when I needed them most.

Thank you little owl.