A Barn Owl in the Golden Hour

8th November 2025

After a most successful morning at Two Tree Island time to move north to see what Wallasea Island has to offer. During the week the first Short-eared Owl of the winter had been seen from the entrance track so I decided to set up camp there with Rog Warner and Ian Plume. 

Still early afternoon so I had a walk down the road looking for Corn Buntings. There were several flocks with up to 20 birds in each giving a total of 100+ birds. Unfortunately they were very mobile and were mostly dropping into cover, but on a couple of occasions sat up in a bramble bush or Hawthorn.

From my vantage point at the entrance I could see a ring-tail Hen Harrier hunting along the south wall by the River Roach so walked up the track in case it came any closer. That didn't happen but I did grab a record shot, bearing in mind it was 600 yards or 1/3 of a mile away as measured on Google Earth.

As I was waiting a Barn Owl appeared and sat on a nearby post surveying the scene.

It then took off and went on a hunting mission, flying past at a range of about 25 yards. As it was now getting late in the day we were entering the golden hour where the sun is low in the sky and gives everything a golden hue, which I find particularly attractive when photographing Barn Owls.

Every now and then it would hear a rustle in the grass and hover while it assessed the situation.

And then when it was sure it would flip upside down and dive, dive, dive in for the kill!!!!

WOW, what an amazing 30 seconds and certainly worth coming for.