e621.net · 6463770

ArtRage painting.
Behind the scenes of this painting: Some years ago, when we, my wife and I, were doing our winter bird count, we suddenly heard alarm calls from a mixed flock of passerines. From their behaviour we concluded that there was a pygmy owl somewhere near, and quite correctly we soon found one perched in a birch, surrounded by angry little birds. It was calmly staring at a bird feeder, apparently well aware of that it couldn't make a successful surprise attack on any bird at the moment, when it impromptu turned around, flew 30 meters in the opposite direction, and hit a yellow necked mouse at a corner of the neighbouring house. The poor thing didn't have a chance. But how the heck did the owl do it? There were bushes and fences in the way, and the birds were smattering loudly, so I can't understand how it could see or hear the mouse at all. Very impressive!