In hoot water! Tawny owl dives into a woodland pond and goes for a swim
A wildlife enthusiast has captured one of the strangest sights in British a nature – a swimming owl.
The unusual scene was caught on camera near Dunsford, Devon by Dick Stamp.
The footage taken at 4.30am on July 9 shows a wild tawny owl hop into a woodland a pool and then happily swim around for a few seconds before hopping back out.
Mr Stamp a retired engineering lecturer now runs a smallholding where the footage was filmed.
Dick Stamp stamped set up a camera near a pond in woodland in Dunsford, Devon. It captured an owl hopping into the pond
The tawny owl dived straight in the early morning footage and ‘had a proper dunk’
He said: ‘There are a few streams that were drying out so I dug a shallow pool near one so it would fill with water for the animals.
‘I set up a camera nearby wondering what might use the pool never expecting to see an owl.
‘I couldn’t believe it – it was having a proper dunk.
‘You expect to see water fowl doing that – but not a tawny owl.
‘I’ve never seen an owl swimming before.’
Mr Stamp said ‘You expect to see water fowl doing that – but not a tawny owl.’
The owl splashed about for several seconds before climbing out of the pond again.
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