ATHENE NOCTUALittle Owl Photography
Little Owls are the smallest of the owl species found in the UK and, despite now being a familiar sight in parts of the British countryside, they are not actually native to Britain. Introduced during the 19th century, they subsequently became established and are now most commonly associated with farmland, parkland and areas with mature trees.
Many of my Little Owl photographs were taken at Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale, where a family of owls lived in an old stone wall behind my parents’ home. Set within the beautiful landscape of the Nidderdale National Landscape, it gave me the opportunity to spend many hours watching and photographing the same birds from a chair hide and to become familiar with their routines and behaviour.
Over time, the owls seemed to become equally familiar with my presence. I would often settle into the hide and, before long, one of them would appear nearby, seemingly coming to investigate my arrival before returning to its normal routine. Being able to observe the family over an extended period provided some memorable encounters and opportunities to photograph their natural behaviour.
Their small size, bright yellow eyes and wonderfully expressive appearance give Little Owls a huge amount of character and make them particularly engaging subjects to photograph.
The gallery below brings together some of my favourite Little Owl images, all photographed ethically and without baiting.
