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Barn Owls Among all birds, the birds of prey are my favourites. And among the birds of prey, Owls are my most favourites. That means I'll go to any limits to see and photograph an owl. Being nocturnal birds of prey, they have an air of mystery attached to them, and they aren't often seen or heard by one. When you see them in the field, you feel that they are not of this world. They have a world of their own, most mysterious and most strange. Their habits, way of life, hunts, are one of the many secrets of nature, and continue to be our deepest curiosities. Unfortunately, our ill-informed human-folk attach an owl to bad omen and the call of an owl is often attributed to bringing death to one who hears it. Among the owls, the Barn Owl and Spotted Owlet are two common species that can be often seen near human habitations. The Barn Owl is especially known to live in old buildings and barns inside towns and cities, and rely upon the rats and rodents as they main source of food. This Saturday, during an evening walk with my wife in a wooded area, I came upon a pair of screeching Barn Owls. It was an hour past sunset and quite dark, and the owls showed beautifully white in the available light. They seemed to be very comfortable and allowed me good views. It was unfortunate I didn't have my camera with me. The walk was eventful in that I also saw a pair of Spotted Owlets, and a couple of Chequered Keelbacks apart from the Barn Owls. So I decided to come to the same spot again next evening and try my luck with photographing the Barn Owl. Clement Francis - renowned bird watcher, photographer and author - and myself were ajar at the same spot next evening after dark and we did see the spotted owlets going around, being harassed by the crows now and then. But the Barn Owls were late in coming. It was when we had given up and packed the cameras that one Barn Owl came screeching to the tree and sat nicely in an exposed branch. We managed a few photographs with the inbuilt flash before the owl thought that we had enough, and flew away, into the night. It was an experience by itself, like no other.