Pics 1-8 are by Antrim Lens.
Pic 1
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Pic 6
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Pic 8
“I went over to the fox den to see if anything was about and I met this beauty well after dark, images a bit grainy. Saw a bird in the distance (pics 4&5) too dark to see what it was so grabbed a few photos to look at on the laptop when I got home, where I found it to be an osprey, most likely heading for Scotland as not known to be around these parts. As I was getting ready to pack up to go home something caught my eye in the tree I was sitting under. Turned out to be a female Long-eared owl and she was soon joined by 3 male owls (pic 6) wing clapping and calling to her in a courtship dance, what an evening with wildlife. Following day I went back to the spot to search for an owl nest only to find this male and female long-eared owls roosting in a tree so I backed off and left them in peace. Fingers crossed they’ll pair up and nest soon.”
Wonderful photos .The owl is especially beautiful ..almost camouflaged here ,but great in the blow-up. It is an incredible thing to see the wildness of a fox up-close too.
Thanks, Paddykool. I’m very lucky to have all this on my doorstep. The fox den and owl roost are about 400 yards from my house across a couple of fields but only go over about 5 times a year so as not to spook them.