Never would I have even imagined that such an event would occur in my life, never mind occur on most successive days during the dark Autumnal mornings.

It begins as I creep downstairs feeling my way, not wanting to turn on even the feeblest light, afraid that I might disturb these fantastic creatures and alert them to my presence. Gently and quietly opening the French doors leading from my special room I sit and wait – wait for the dawn to begin to break – allowing my eyes to focus on that box perched half way up the tree a couple of hundred yards from where I sit.

At first a shadow seems to appear – a smudge of light against the backdrop of the dark wooden perch – then slowly, gradually I make out the shape – or is it shapes – of the now not so small baby owl. I hear it’s call – have heard it through the night – now I see it – head moving from side to side, wide eyes searching, hungry for the sight of it’s provider – and – here she comes, swooping so gracefully, so powerfully – then – she is gone her duty done her chicks fed once again. Now it’s time for her to roost, to rest waiting – for the eventide – for the safety of the darkness – the stillness of the night.

The wonder of it all strikes me anew. To see nature in this way – to view a sight that for me has never been seen before (except of course through the eye of a camera expertly used by someone else).

My life has been interspersed by such moments. Experiences I would never have imagined, brought to me so often expectantly.

How many such experiences have I almost forgotten – lost the wonder, the awesomeness -the privilege of that experience – and how many times have I allowed these special times to become ‘the norm’ – forgotten the specialness, uniqueness and wonder of those occasions.

I need to focus my mind to remember – to recall some of those times – to relive them, not just for myself but for others too.

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