With no thaw today and wondering where to go for the tea time session I thought it worth a try to locate DJSs Barn Owl which turned out to be no easy task.
On arrival a first scan around found the bird sat on a wall but a long distance away and ready to move so just chance of a quick shot before it dropped below the wall and out of sight.
With Big Bertha up on the tripod raring to go and some test shots for the settings out of the way I waited for its return, and waited, and waited , ankle deep in snow and an icy wind blowing although the sun shone nicely.
1 hour later the bird appeared out of the plantation only to turn and head straight back in again. Another half hour went by and the same thing happened giving me no time to get it in the lens.
After 2 hours standing and froze to the spot I was just starting to drop the tripod when it appeared and dropped behind a distant wall. Just as I got the tripod back in position it came up above the wall and flew across me left to right but a distance away. Bertha gave it a blast of 18 frames and then it was gone. Two hours of waiting for a 5 second sighting but well worth it.
A panic checking the photos as the light had altered considerably since I first set up and the quick appearance gave me no time to reset but luckily I had something to show although they could have been much better.
Also present was a calling Tawny Owl, Little Owl and a fly over of 15 Siskins.
Thanks goes to DJS for turning up this bird a couple of days ago, thats another one I owe him.
BS