Autumn Changes

I think its the time of year for all teenagers to be told to make their own way in the world, some go off to University and some just get told to spread their wings and find their own territories. Watched a Short-eared Owl hunting at dusk below Pendle. It would hover, then circle off to a new spot, hover again and suddenly drop. It must have impinged on another Short-eared owls territory however as one came in low and fast, there was a short tussle in mid air, then both flew off to continue hunting, though keeping a very definite buffer zone this time. Then today I watched two Tawny Owls fighting, one was sat quitely in the hedgerow and another flew in and literally knocked it off its perch, there was lots of calling and a very short fight in mid air.  The winner didn't get to enjoy its victory however as the racket brought in Rooks and Jackdaws who mobbed it till it left. Hares are really spooky, I watched one feeding under a beech tree and it seeemed to be able to go from hare to "I am a log" by flattening its ears and rearranging its features, really amazing. Two Grey Squirrels were also chasing round and round the trunk of a Beech tree occasionally stopping to feed on the mast. Bramblings, Siskins and Goldfinches are all back on the birdtable eating the niger seed.