Looking at Val's beautiful paintings and drawings of pigs I can't imagine how anyone could not like them.......but ugly ducklings often turn into something rather special in the world of beautiful beasts.........
Do you know what it is yet?
Yes, of course, you guessed it, a one week old barn owl!
Just as it was getting dusk we spied one of our local barn owls perching on a fence post and then soundlessly taking off to check the hedges and headlands for something to eat. I think it's too early yet for a brood although the mild weather we've been having might be confusing some of our feathered friends
By 7 weeks the owl chicks are looking a little more appealing and feathers are beginning to form. This barn owl chick was born with an insulating layer of down to keep it warm, and when fluffed up makes him look like an old fashioned powder puff! Whilst we're reaching for the warm coat, it's strange to think that keeping cool on a hot summer day is quite a challenge for birds who have one of the highest metabolic rates of any animal.
Finally, the beautiful owl is revealed and is ready to delight us with ghostly white flights over the hedges and pastures. I've got it in mind to use this image in a larger picture together with other owls but this quick sketch with watercolour is my starting point.
Although I do rather like the idea of doing a print of the 7 week old ball of fluff.......perhaps I'll be able to reveal my final decision later on this week!!
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