This winter's snows have brought extra challenges for the wildlife about us - along with some dramatic wildlife watching opportunities.
Determined not to miss out I got up in my warmest winter camouflage outfit (a snow suit with a pillow case on my head!) and headed off to a dale in Thixendale where I had heard that some short eared owls had been spotted.
It wasn't long before I spotted two owls hunting. They would plummet to the ground and punch through the snow crust to dig out their prey.
But it turned out that I wasn't the only watching. This cunning kestrel was waiting in the wings and I watched as it mobbed the short eared owl.
It turned out that this kestrel was a consistent thief, and I watched it ambush the owls several times over a few days - it's survival tactics were quite impressive in this epic struggle against the elements.
Click here to read more about my encounter in this week's Yorkshire Post .
