Garden owl doesn't give a hoot for convention
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IT has captured the imagination of bird lovers in Caithness with members of the public having flocked to the garden of two brothers to see a supposed night lover who has taken a liking to flying during daylight.
Twins Hugh and Sutherland Mowat were amazed to find a giant owl perched on the tree in their back garden during the afternoon at their home in Newton Avenue in Wick.
Having lived there for 40 years, it was the first time they had ever seen a feathery friend of such a size land on their tree.
Their new lodger has turned their garden into a new tourist attraction for the town as the brothers have welcomed over 20 experts and curious visitors who have asked to see it.
Sutherland (65), who with his brother ran Northern Hardware before both retiring, said they had been inundated with people wanting to see the owl, which visits their garden once every two days.
"We had an expert who writes books about birds and people who came from Thurso to have a look for themselves," he said. "Since it first came it has been here one day and gone the next day for the past two weeks.
"People want to come to see it for themselves and take a picture of it, but it doesn’t get flustered by anything as it sits on the branch so peacefully.
"We did not expect the level of interest from the public it has generated, but we have welcomed everyone to come and have a look."
Caithness bird expert Keith Banks confirmed the creature was a tawny owl and not a short-eared owl, as the brothers first suspected.
Mr Banks said it was quite unusual to find a tawny owl out during daylight hours.
"Tawny owls are both urban and rural and are found in woodland and large gardens with plenty of trees and shrubs in towns including Wick where a pair or two probably nest most years," he said.
"Tawny owls are also nocturnal and have black eyes. If the owl was a short-eared it would have pale yellow irises.
"Short-eared owls are also found in Caithness but occupy moorland habitat where they breed. They are active during the day unlike the tawnies."
Four species of owl breed in Caithness: the tawny, the short-eared, the long-eared and the barn owl.
