Meadow wars

Seemingly persistent winter rain stopped at the beginning of March to be replaced by persistent wind. Rain and wind are the enemies of barn owls, one soaks their feathers and the other makes it difficult for them to hear their prey deep in rough grass. The meadow backing onto the straw barn at Halls farm is sheltered from the wind by tall hedges on three sides. From early March a barn owl has come out from the straw and quartered the meadow from mid afternoon taking voles back to feed his mate who is preparing to lay eggs deep in the straw.

Barn owl flying out of winter sunset. Suffolk. Tyto alba

The Barn owl tends to follow the same circuit often pausing to listen from posts and tree branches and then slipping over the hedge to hunt in the orchard next to the farmhouse. When the wind gets too strong he stops but as soon as gusts reduce he comes back out.

Barn owl preening on post March afternoon. Suffolk. Tyto alba

Rough thick grass in the meadow is home to many voles and mice, the barn owl must have caught hundreds of them over winter but the supply seems inexhaustible. The barn owl is very territorial about this meadow, if another owl tries to hunt it is driven away with hissing screeches, one of the few times adult barn owls make a noise.

Barn owl mobbed with wing up. Winter sunset. Suffolk. Tyto alba

However, the meadow is used by other hunters, buzzards often pause in the old oak trees in the hedge, peering down looking for food, they are quite happy to eat voles as well.

Barn owl retreating from buzzard. March evening. Suffolk. Tyto alba

Last Saturday the sun had just set and I had my camera pointed at the barn owl sitting on an oak. A buzzard shot into the frame straight at the barn owl, the pair fell with the barn owl peeling off before hitting the ground. The Buzzard then came and sat in the tree next to me.

Buzzard on oak branch. March sunset Suffolk Buteo buteo

Since then the barn owl has been less bold in his daytime hunting, coming out later and for much shorter times. Perhaps the change in the hunting regime is unrelated, but it does seem to be a strong coincidence.

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