Nature is harsh!

I have been lucky to spend several early mornings and several late afternoons with some barn owls this week.

In the short time I have twice seen a barn owl ambushed by a kestrel who made off with their supper, and seen many examples of crows harrowing the owls. Sometimes the chase looks short and perfunctory, but the shots below reveal just how nasty the attacks can be.

You can see the feathers from the owl’s wing in the crow’s beak and floating down through the air. Vicious!

Still the barn owl carried on at their same serene pace, and seemed remarkably unphased by the attack. I fear they may have taken it out on a vole a little later… nature is harsh!