Short-eared owls at Waltham Brooks

Late this afternoon we headed off to Waltham Brooks hoping for a sighting of the Short-eared Owls that have been a feature there recently. We were rewarded with two of them working the grass covered bank and reed beds on the west side of the river.
Apparently they come from the cold north and the continent, and this year has been a good one for voles, an important food source. excellent video: http://vimeo.com/32278778
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/21/country-diary-waltham-brooks

We moved from our first position by the railway bridge to the car park by the river and had a better view with a couple who had set up a scope. All the while a wonderful sunset was continually changing on the horizon.

Short-eared Owl