Gandalf

Midweek produced the first Pygmy Owl of the year in the garden, and the first we've had actually within the garden boundaries. It was bound to happen. The garden, for all intents and purposes, acts like a forest clearing at the edge of a nature reserve. Combined with our feeders attracting in a good sized feeding flock, and our woodstacks with their resident voles and mice, it's a natural hunting ground for owls.

A beautiful, though cold weekend followed, and temperatures dropped significantly back below zero.
I spent Saturday morning playing around with the wife's new 400mm lens and our Yellowhammers, results of which impressed me greatly.

On Sunday we made our way over to malmi in search of a long staying Great Grey Owl.
When we arrived at the cemetery it was frequenting, there were a lot of wandering groups of birders, telling us it hadn't been pinned down.

There was a nice flock of Waxwing on show though. There hasn't been many of these around this winter, so this is potentially another sign of Spring in progress.

It's hard to beat Waxwing for sheer beauty.

That amazing eye. 

With no sign of the owl yet, we gambled on a quick visit to Fastholma, in the hopes the owl would make itself known later.

This paid off with good views of Nuthatch here, which was even singing at times.

Cracking little things. I love the clean appearance of these northern birds.

We then made our way back to the cemetery, where the owl had been relocated.

Spot Gandalf

This makes it easier.

Enjoying a warm sun on a cold morning.

Seeing the immense shape of an owl out on an open branch always brings a thrill.

You just can't beat a Gandalf.

There has been a couple of Great Grey Owls, or at least the same birds being relocated around the city the past couple of weeks, but I haven't had the time or opportunity to connect with them. This bird has been the longest staying of those, and in a relatively low foot traffic area, so the effort had to be made. 

Still a species I have not seen too many individuals of, and one of the most gorgeous owls there is, so I always take the opportunity to see them if they show up around the city.

As cold as it was, it still beats seeing them like this I reckon, as opposed to seeing a female's head sitting looking out of an old Crow's nest whilst swarms of mosquitoes devour you.

What a bird!