A Tale of Two Little Owls

Above: One of the siblings

At midsummer, two Little Owl fledglings sat together on a crooked oak branch which extended high above a quiet lane at White House Farm. On this particular morning, I left the farmhouse and made my way along the road just after a lorry had roared by. This sort of towering vehicle is a rare sight here and I soon realised my timing was fortunate! The roof of the lorry had just caught the oak branch and knocked off the little owls, sweeping them beneath the rear end of the vehicle and over one of its wheel arches. The driver stopped and freed one owl, but there was no sign of the second.

After I found Ross at the farm, he hurriedly took the rescued owl to the vets and to our astonishment it was unharmed by the incident. On returning to White House Farm with the little owl, we noticed its sibling sitting by the farmhouse. It was clearly in shock, resting motionless but otherwise appearing fine. Ross returned both owls to a hollow, high up in an old ash pollard where we had often seen them perching. This ash stands opposite the great family tree; a hearty, veteran oak where the owl nest lies in a deep hollow. The owls soon returned to their parents at the family nest. We hear them most nights which brings us great delight......a host of sharp "keew kewws" and an occassional "woop" hoot travel through the leafy woods.

Above: Ross returning a Little Owl to the ash tree

In totem terms owls are linked with sensitivity, insight and maturity. Through its silent flight at night, an owl perceives truths which are usually veiled and it knows when to speak and when to hold peace. An owl spirit guide detects untruths and as owls are skilled hunters, the totem has an in depth knowledge of the inner realms. A very helpful power creature to have!

Above painting: Owl Wisdom, Willow Arlenea www.designsbywillow.com

The ancient Greeks regarded the owl as a symbol of Athena, the goddess of logic, wisdom and heroic endeavour. In Hinduism, the owl is connected to Lakshmi, the goddess of wisdom, courage and wealth. For many Native American tribes, the owl appears in legends which describe the bird’s knowledge and courage. The owl also has the ability to assist with inner sight and astral travel in Shamanic rituals and journeys.

Above: Statue of Athena with owl; Ancient Greek coin, dating to the 5th century BCE, depicts an owl with an olive sprig. The inscription translates to "of the Athenians". The other side of this coin shows the head of Athena.

Heritage unburied

Earlier this year, my imagination was fuelled by some wonderful books, including the one below.....

Manda Scott - Boudica - This series evokes a deep sense of ancestral wisdom and recognises the value of an intrinsic connection to Nature at all levels. I found the Boudica series so refreshing in its portrayal of the native people of this island and their empowering heritage - in contrast to the conventional history teachings which tend to favour the Roman 'civilisation'.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boudica-Dreaming-Eagle-1/dp/0593048784

Restoring Magical Meadows

Ross has been managing a meadow restoration project since February. Young ash and alder have been encroaching on three of the meadows here, so much so that only earth and moss is visible between the abundance of ash and alder 'whips'. It only takes a few years for scrub and trees to develop and for grassland flora to disappear without the intervention of suitable animal grazing or human management. The neglected meadows at the farm have not been long without flora, including orchids, so we hopefully we will see some orchids returning this summer. Some beautiful mature trees have been exposed since this work began and these established trees will remain.

Most meadows in the UK developed through traditional farming practices which led to an amazing diversity of associated species and a habitat upon which many birds and small mammals depend. Species-rich grassland has declined by over 97% since the 1950s, so it is especially important that we restore neglected meadows at the farm, and maintain the established species-rich meadows surrounded by hedgerow corridors.