We’ve had some lovely evening walks since the fields have been harvested (or in this case, almost harvested). After months of wheat growing, the expanse of golden stubble provides a wonderful open feel to the countryside around us, especially when enhanced by the golden light of a late summers evening, when the low sunshine throws dappled shadows onto the bales, and the bales throw long shadows across the stubble. A few minutes after taking this photo we spotted a large owl sitting on one of the bales, no doubt keeping an eye out for mice feeding on spilled grain. It flew off as soon as it spotted the dogs, far too quickly for me to even get my camera out of its case, let alone photograph it. My wildlife book tells me that short eared owls feed in the daytime, favouring grassland, and perching on fence posts, and so maybe that is what this owl was.
