It's the twit-twoo step! Clumsy owl almost takes a tumble while dancing on a wall

By EMILY ALLEN



Birdie dance? The owl looked like he was practicing his moves on a stone wall before getting himself in a flap and losing his fancy footing near the edge



This is the moment a clumsy owl almost took a dramatic tumble after getting carried away appearing to dance on a wall.

The bird looked like he was practicing his moves before getting himself in a flap and almost losing his footing near the edge.

But luckily he gripped hold of a small ledge at the last minute and managed to haul himself back to safety.



The funny scene was captured by keen photographer Maurizio Biasco, from Lecce, Italy.

Mr Biasco, 29, said: 'I spotted the owl quite a distance away and decided to try and get some nice pictures.

'I had to move carefully to get as close as possible to the owl without disturbing it or arousing suspicion.

'I even wore a ghillie suit so I could climb a tree which was near the wall without being noticed and get a better view.'



In a flap: He almost lost his footing but managed to haul himself to safety much to the amusement of a photographer

Mr Biasco said it took the best part of an hour to capture the amusing images.

He said: 'I do a lot of nature photography and spend a great deal of time in camouflage trying to get close to animals.

'The owl approached the camera lens and I sat in the tree for about an hour taking pictures without any quick movements.

'It appeared to be dancing and having a great time but suddenly a loud blast came from somewhere which startled it.

'I won't tell you what I said but the look on its face certainly made me laugh.

'Once I got the shot and made sure the owl was alright I jumped down from the tree and left.

'It wasn't until I looked back at the pictures later that I realised what I had managed to capture.

'I love photographing birds of prey but it's particularly rewarding when you manage to get a set of pictures like this.'



Dancing queen: The funny scene was captured by keen photographer Maurizio Biasco, from Lecce, Italy



source: dailymail

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Incredible image captures the flight of a mother owl as she swoops down to her nest to feed her hungry chicks

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Swooping in: The female owl is captured flying towards her young in the dead of night carrying food

Swooping in majestically towards her chicks laden with food in the dead of night, these remarkable pictures give the kind of rare insight most bird watchers dream of.

The stunning selection of painstakingly-taken images show a female owl sailing through the night sky to feed her young.

The snaps were taken in the middle of the night by German photographer Horst Jegen, who provides a rare insight into owls and their chicks through the carefully-taken shots.


In full flight: The majestic owl spreads its wings as she prepares for landing near the home of her young


Mr Jegen, 41, had to park himself in front of the treetop home of the owls armed with just a tent, a long lens camera and two flash bulbs to capture the rare moment.

The patient photographer spent several hours waiting for the perfect snap as the dutiful female owl flew towards the home of her hungry youngsters.


What's for dinner? The expectant chicks open their mouths as mum flies in carrying a small bug for food


His patience eventually paid off when he caught the adult owl flying in with bugs and worms carried in her mouth for her eager and hungry brood.

In one shot the mother owl can be seen carrying a thick juicy worm towards the tree hole where her chicks are waiting.


Hidden away: Photographer Horst Jegen used a camouflage tent to wait patiently for the perfect picture


Another revealing picture shows her flying homeward-bound with a mouse between her teeth.

Mr Jegen is no stranger to capturing rare moments in nature which any wildlife photographer would be proud of.

Last month he took an amazing picture of a fox trying to steal an egg from inside a log.


source :dailymail

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Seeing red, the evil-eyed owl perched on a lamppost and ready to swoop

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

What a hoot: The owl was photographed sitting on top of a lamppost in South Africa but the reflection from the camera's flash caused the bird's eyes to appear bright red like lasers


At first glance, you would be forgiven for thinking that this owl was possessed.

But the laser-like stare of the bird is actually the reflection of a camera's flash.

An amateur photographer spotted the Cape Eagle Owl perched on a lamp-post while driving down a quiet road one early morning in South Africa.

Gavin Nicholls, who was born in Fareham, Hampshire, was eager to take snaps of the bird and so fired off a volley of flash photographs.

Gavin, 57, said: 'It was only once I'd arrived at work that I looked at the results. I thought: wow, the eyes are stunning!

'All my colleagues were over the moon with it.

'Normally in photography we try and avoid the red eye problems, but just for this one shot, I am so glad it happened as it did.'


source: dailymail

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Birds of a feather: The 10 lost and abandoned owls forming a family at St Tiggywinkles animal hospital

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

The owls are enjoying life in the hospital's aviary and will be released back into the wildlife once fully grown


Some have been orphaned when their parents were killed, others may have fallen from their nests but now these ten tawny owls are a family at last.

Lined up in a row, they are pictured at St Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital which has carefully gathered up the birds over the last few weeks.

Unusually none of the orphans are related and they come from different locations around the centre in Buckinghamshire.


Ten orphan baby tawny owls are enjoying life as a family after being rescued over the last few weeks


They are currently being cared for in St Tiggywinkles' aviary but will be released back into the wild once they are fully grown.

St Tiggywinkles founder Les Stocker said: 'We usually get a few orphans in this time of year as it's nesting season but this year we seem to have slightly more baby tawny owls.

'Tawny owls are usually born in pairs so we normally rescue siblings. This is an unusual group as none are related and they've all come in from different areas.

They've actually formed a really nice family and all seem very happy together.'


Some of the birds had fallen from their nests or were found abandoned after their parents had been killed


The wildlife centre takes its name from the hedgehog character in Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and treats more than 10,000 animals every year.
It cares for them free of charge and every single one is released back into the wild when they are well enough to do so.

The centre relies on membership, donations and sponsorship to survive and receives no state funding or financial help from conservation groups.

The tawny owl, a widespread breeding species in England, Wales and Scotland, grows to about the size of a pigeon and has a ring of dark feathers surrounding its dark eyes.

They mainly live in established pairs and some will never leave their territories once they are settled. Young birds disperse from breeding grounds in the autumn.

source: dailymail

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The Owl and the Pussycat who really are the best of friends

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Fum the cat leaps into the air to join his friend Gerba the owl


Watch out mice! This owl and pussycat really have become the best of friends and they're attracting thousands of fans with a hit youtube video.

The amazing footage shows Fum the cat and Gebra the owl playing together in the open countryside.


Best of friends: Fum and Gebra enjoy a tender moment


A peck on the cheek: The two animals are believed to have been friends from an early age


The pair clearly enjoy each others' company - every time Gerba comes in to land it's next to her four-legged friend who trots up to greet her with a friendly rub and purr.

It is believed the animals get on so well together because they have been pals since they were young.

It is also likely that they have bonded over a mutual instinct to hunt rodents.
Clearly Gerba is the boss in this relationship - when Tum gets a little too excited she gives him a friendly little peck to calm him down.


Did someone mention a mouse? Tum the cat and Gerba the owl share a hunting instinct


But most of the time the pair get on amazingly well. They play-fight and give each other kisses on the cheek.

It is unclear where the video is from but the poster is based in Spain.

In the famous Edward Lear poem, opposite, the Owl and the Pussycat went to sea in a beautiful pea green boat.

But this pair are clearly more interested in taking to the skies.

Unfortunately for the furry Fum all he can do is leap into the air when his feathery pal swoops back and forth over his head or climb up into a tree.





Showing off: Feather and fur in purr-fect harmony


Cat and owl playing



source: dailymail

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The zoo in Muenster, Germany

A great gray owl screws his head at the zoo in Muenster, Germany, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. Winter has arrived in Germany with ice and snow all over the country. Weather forecast predicts changing temperatures with freezing rain and dangerous icing.



A Brown Capuchin licks snow at the zoo in Muenster, Germany, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. Winter has arrived in Germany with ice and snow all over the country. Weather forecast predicts changing temperatures with freezing rain and dangerous icing.


source: Daylife
photo: AP photo

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Hoo are you looking at? Owl poses for the cameras

By Katherine Faulkner

What a hoot! This short-eared owl plays up for the photographer


They are wary of humans and seldom seen up close. But it seems that for this short-eared owl, the opportunity to pose for the camera was too good to miss.

This image was captured by wildlife photographer Mark Trabue, who said: 'They usually stay quite far away from human contact but this one flew right up to me. It was almost like he was showing off.

'He looked straight down the lens and almost seemed to smile.'

Mr Trabue added: 'It's one of those uncanny things that will probably never happen to me ever again.'

The picture was taken in Indiana in the U.S., but bird lovers in Britain can sometimes catch a glimpse of the owls on coastal wetlands as they migrate from Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland in the winter months.


High-flier: The owl glides through the air in the skies over Indiana


On the prowl: Despite usually shunning human contact, this owl flew right up to the photographer


source: dailymail

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