Shall I, or Not !

Lancashire - 24.07.2025

It's been a couple of years since I last visited this location to try for images of fledgling Long-eared Owls one of our most iconic and rarest owls. 

I thought about a visit several times but never managed the five mile drive, to many distractions, holidays, maintenance, fitness regime trying to be super fit, I might just do that half marathon I've been threatening.

It's my day off so on the spur of the moment I've decided to make the trip to see what’s on offer, normally I would schedule a visit late afternoon when the young start calling the adults to feed them, but it's late morning so that won't work so instead I’ve deciding just to take the "bins" and the thermal imager leaving the heavy camera gear at home (a mistake ?) and do just a rece, if I locate any fledglings I can aways make a return visit. 

It's late in the breeding season and calling may have stopped also the owls are more likely to be active early evening but I'm happy to visit, it’s quiet the weathers kind in some nice countryside. Following a route I’ve used previously scanning with the thermal...nothing, then my thermal imagers battery runs flat, so no calling, no thermal it's scanning only and start making my way back towards the car.

One location that I’ve not tried previously that might be worth a look and it's also close to the car so give it a go, I often find myself just standing taking in my surroundings just observing and out the corner of my eye just partially hidden sat on a dead branch is a young fledgling owl, I’m surprised by its size it seems much bigger than an adult, it's a beauty and it's out in the open !…doh....NO CAMERA !…big mistake, it’s just an opportunity not to miss....so the decision is made….return home and get the gear !

Now an hour later I'm back and the owl is still where I left it sat happy preening occasionally distracted by butterflies flitting pasted. Slowly working into favourable unobstructed position the camera's is in overdrive even in the UK climate the camera still has a tendency to over heat. Now some forty five minuets later I've managed to amass some 1,600 images on the card, then the owl flys to adjacent pine tree, a quick look with the bins the fledgling owl is obstructed sat well inside the tree and not really worth any further attention, time to call it a day and leave the owl to get on with it’s day.

Surprisingly it's been very productive morning visit albeit a little hectic in the end returning home getting the camera gear, next time I won't leave it so late in the season, and aways take your camera !

Below are a few of the many images taken on the day, no crops, no extender just the “big white” as I've well over 1K of images I may well add more shortly.

Until the next time.

Long-eared Owl