Hide in the snow

 

Such a surprise this morning to wake up and find the ground covered in a thin layer of snow.

Within a few minutes of entering the wood I spotted a fox trotting along the hedgerow. I stopped and set up my hide in the hedge, although I think it had already seen me.

Watching the fox sprint across the field in to the opposite hedgerow, disappointment sank in. I thought that was the only glimpse of the fox I was going to get today.

Snow gradually to turn into heavy rain and water started to drip into the hide, I began to question whether I should head home and give up for today.

Still waiting, about 20 minutes later, with freezing toes and a wet leg, I was happy to see the same Fox run out from the wood, completely the other side from where it had disappeared. It slowly stalked across in front of the hide. Silently raising my camera I managed to get a few photos before he slipped back in to the wood.

A trail of fox footprints told me that he must have circled behind the hide while I was waiting for him.

Back home the bird table was busy as ever, from Long-Tailed Tits to Pigeons, chaffinches to sparrows, all bickering over the fat balls.

Yesterday my mum called me saying that there was a Barn Owl a couple of miles down the road.

After a night of consistent rain the owl was still hunting at nearly midday. Barn owl feathers aren’t very water resistant so they tend to avoid hunting in the rain.

During the winter months the Barn owl’s main food, small mammals, such as Field Voles, Common Shrews and Wood Mice tend to become less active throughout the cold nights and more active during the day, meaning Barn owls can often be seen hunting during the day.

To preserve energy, during the winter months, Barn owls hunt from perches, like this fence post, rather than hunting from the air.

I took this photo out of a car window while we were stopped at a traffic light.