A late afternoon at Lunt Meadows started with a chilly walk around the site, but at the point of giving up and going home we were rewarded with thrilling views of hunting owls.

It was cold and a bit windy, so most of the birds to be seen were ‘just the usual suspects’, with highlights being a male Kestrel, a Cormorant and some Little Egrets.

There were some good-sized flocks of finches up on the wires; in the fading light I could only say that at least most of them were Linnet.

Then, about an hour before sunset, as we were heading for home, we were watching a heron in flight and behind it noticed a Barn Owl quartering the meadow. Shortly afterwards, a short eared owl was visible doing the same thing over to the left, and another Barn Owl to the right.

That was my first ever shortie, and the best views of barnies I’ve ever had to boot (well, at least until the next day!). They probably don’t like being called that, though.

My photos all turned out crap, but it’s not like photos of owls from Lunt Meadows are in short supply now, is it?