Last Thursday i found out that there had been sightings of a snowy Owl on the island. I am not a birdwatcher, I can only name a handful of common types but the idea of seeing a snowy owl seemed rather exciting. The only problem being that the sightings were down by White Island and the Mazes which are the opposite end of the island to us, a place I only really go to when I am out running, ie without kids. When I mentioned to the girls about the owl their imagination wasn't really captured, especially with the idea of a long walk to get there. So we went low, we may of told the Harry Potter obsessed Jessica that the owl was exactly like Harry's and may well be Hedwig...it worked. Then yesterday we were at the hall for a birthday party, half way to the other end of the island, meaning that when the party ended walking down to the mazes really didn't seem far - hurrah!!
Oh it was brilliant. Amelia skipped and bounded singing 'we are going on an owl hunt'. We found some white feathers caught in the gorse, which were instantly taken to be Hedwig's, and best of all as we came over the rather cold, windy hill Jessica spotted Cooper (one of Amelia's 'guys' i.e. friends) with his family and that was new excitement despite having just seen him up at the party! But they were thankful to see us as Cooper was becoming less than enthusiastic about spotting an owl, win, win. I was surprised to learn that owl's like to sit on the rocks at the coast line to hunt, I was looking more inland for it and to be honest if my friend hadn't pointed it out to me I would never have seen it! But we did, and I loved that we came round a corner and spotted the island diver, who walks the island daily crouched by his camera and knew it must be there. I loved how I was stood in a small group of islanders all brought together to see an owl, and how the binoculars were passed round, and the way Tim patiently showed the kids a close up of the owl in motion so that they could appreciate what they were seeing.
Walking back we paused to help collect some of the horrible amount of plastic that had been washed up in the last storm, the kids gleefully joining in. We carried along the path meeting others out to see the owl, walking in a group catching up on each others festivities of the season and just wonderfully feeling part of a community. Island life can be hard at times, but moments like that make it all worth it. I am sure there are still places on the mainland where community living is strong, where you get to watch your daughter run and tickle a grown up because she knows he is one who will turn and get her back, but I know these places are rare. I guess it may be one of the main pulls that keeps me on this rock x
Oh it was brilliant. Amelia skipped and bounded singing 'we are going on an owl hunt'. We found some white feathers caught in the gorse, which were instantly taken to be Hedwig's, and best of all as we came over the rather cold, windy hill Jessica spotted Cooper (one of Amelia's 'guys' i.e. friends) with his family and that was new excitement despite having just seen him up at the party! But they were thankful to see us as Cooper was becoming less than enthusiastic about spotting an owl, win, win. I was surprised to learn that owl's like to sit on the rocks at the coast line to hunt, I was looking more inland for it and to be honest if my friend hadn't pointed it out to me I would never have seen it! But we did, and I loved that we came round a corner and spotted the island diver, who walks the island daily crouched by his camera and knew it must be there. I loved how I was stood in a small group of islanders all brought together to see an owl, and how the binoculars were passed round, and the way Tim patiently showed the kids a close up of the owl in motion so that they could appreciate what they were seeing.
Walking back we paused to help collect some of the horrible amount of plastic that had been washed up in the last storm, the kids gleefully joining in. We carried along the path meeting others out to see the owl, walking in a group catching up on each others festivities of the season and just wonderfully feeling part of a community. Island life can be hard at times, but moments like that make it all worth it. I am sure there are still places on the mainland where community living is strong, where you get to watch your daughter run and tickle a grown up because she knows he is one who will turn and get her back, but I know these places are rare. I guess it may be one of the main pulls that keeps me on this rock x
Can you spot the owl?!!! it is there, I promise you...