I disturbed a bird the other day. I was walking through the garden of the Old Forge and something broke cover.
Though I managed to get a hurried snap of it in flight, it was gone too quickly for me to see what it might be.
It was only later, alerted by the scolding call of a chaffinch, that I saw it properly and realised that it was a …
… little owl (Athene noctua). I’ve only seen them before in Greece; perched high up and looking down at me from the crumbling walls of Molyvos castle. Introduced to the UK during the 19th century, little owls feed on small mammals, birds (hence the ire of the chaffinch), beetles and worms. The Old Forge owner has recently found a cache of dead mice and voles in one of the bedroom window frames. It might be the owl’s larder; it might be the kestrel’s.
The owl didn’t stay around for long; what with being mobbed by small birds and intimidated by a slowly approaching clicking gardener.
I do hope I see it again and get a better photo of him/her (the sexes are pretty much indistinguishable). I think there is something rather lovely and exotic about having a little owl at the Old Forge.
Though I don’t suppose the chaffinches agree.
The Anxious Gardener 
What a face!
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Well, I’ve had it a long time, Esther and am kinda used to it – a little weather-worn perhaps … oh, I see what you mean. D
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I guess if I was a chaffinch Dave I wouldn’t be too thrilled, but otherwise a splendid addition to your garden. To me it’s re-assuring when ‘nature’ moves back in.
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Hey Faisal, I do feel for the chaffinch. One was having to contend with a kestrel at close quarters recently. But yes, otherwise a splendid addition. D
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What lovely coloring owls have. I hope you get to see this one again on many occasions — I just looked them up, and see that they’re partly diurnal. How convenient for the bins-sporting gardener! My sister occasionally sees burrowing owls in SE New Mexico, which are about the size of your little owl, but I’ve never had the pleasure.
Dead mice and voles are all right on principle, but not in the window frame.
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I did have my binoculars (not bins, Stacy – for shame) in the car but it didn’t even occur to me to go get them. Rubbish bird-watcher, me. I like the sound of a burrowing owl and, looking at some images online, they are very like this one. And no, I haven’t seen the cache but I can’t imagine it was a pleasant discovery. Dave
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Oh, I am so jealous, beautiful photos, and such a beautiful bird. Definitely a wonder, to share your place of work with such a little beauty.
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Had hoped for better photos, Janet but thanks anyway. It was only visible for a moment so I only managed to snap about five shots. Hoping there will be another opportunity. (I had to rescue this comment from the spam dump – not somewhere you usually end up)! Dave
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Fab photos – did you use a DSLR?
I saw an owl the other night when driving to a garden club meeting, I was so distracted I nearly crashed the car. It wasnt a barn owl as I have seen those before so assumed it was a tawny owl from its size.
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Hi Helen, yep. I use a Nikon DSLR and, for these shots, a fairly powerful lens. I haven’t seen a tawny for years – so I’m jealous (though not of a near crash). Dave
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David, fabulous log, fabulous story, fabulous photos…you are blessed to be sharing this wonderful wildlife with us..envious gardener …
Enjoy…Chez xx
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Hi Chez, thanks. There are certainly days when I feel blessed – but they have felt a little few and far between during this never-ending winter. Be nice to do some gardening. Dave
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What a privilege, to share your workplace with one of these beauties. And well done on managing to capture him/her too, a very evasive target I’m sure!
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It was a nippy little beggar, Sara. I wasn’t going to use the photos as I wasn’t that happy with them but then I figured I may never see a little owl again. Dave
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Owls are such beautiful creatures, I’ve never seen a little owl but we have a barn owl that visits.
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Very jealous that you have barn owls, Amelia. We do have them in the vicinity of the Priory (they’ve roosted in the past in one of Margaret’s barns) but I’ve not seen them. I’ve been planning to build a barn owl nest-box – I really must get on with it. Dave
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My husband is convinced the barn owl wants to nest in our atelier that it sometimes roosts in (I’m not so sure). He has bought a very old wooden trunk that was the perfect size to modify for a barn owl nest. He has hoisted it up and has it on the inside wall of the atelier and is waiting. We saw one flying alongside an A road near here at 18.30 a few days ago. Strange animals, seemingly a lot of barn owls are killed on the roads here.
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I don’t know whether you know this site, Amelia? It will be their nest box model which I shall build:
http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/infopage.html?Id=203
And yes. Lots of barn owls are killed on roads in the UK too. The BOT explain why:
http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/infopage.html?Id=180
Terribly sad.
Dave
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Thanks for the link. We got our info from the French PLO but it is not as full as the BOT. We did not place a landing place for the owlets although we discussed it. The PLO said no and even suggested fixing a cut plastic bucket over the entrance to prevent access of martens etc. We compromised with no bucket but no landing site either. Our box has an inner division too.
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Such a beautiful creature! Great that you had the chance to take photos too!
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It was a little stunner, Boys. Shame it didn’t hang around a tad longer. D
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Great that you managed to get pictures – we have little owls round here – they are lovely compact little birds aren’t they
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Just happened to have my camera to hand, Elaine. So often I don’t! D
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One thing’s for sure-you won’t have a rodent problem!
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Certainly not a little rodent problem, Allen but I can’t see these owls tackling a rat. And sadly they’re not big enough to tackle rabbits either with which the Old Forge is overrun. D
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I’m envious of the images; I only hear our little owls only only see them at dusk during summer. Our roof has always been their home; the first time I ever slept at our house one was perched on the window cill when I awoke – magic. During summer I hear their strange call most of the night though it isn’t a disturbance. Christina
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Love the idea of being watched over by a little owl as I sleep, Christina. As I have ever seen them in Greece, I do think of them as Med birds. Dave
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Fantastic, its things like this that make gardening so wonderful, sharing the space with all the wildlife. We have them in our village but unfortunately have never seen one, tawny yes, barn yes, but I would love to see a Little Owl, lucky you!
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I did feel lucky, Pauline and do wonder whether I’ll ever see him/her again. I was surprised it was getting mobbed as I always thought that they just ate beetles and the like. Live and learn. Dave
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Such beautiful creatures. I have’nt seen an Owl in years. I’m told they’re about, I just have’nt seen them. Wonderful pics!
Bridget.
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Thanks Bridget, I hear tawny owls almost daily at the Priory but have yet to see one. Dave
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