An owl in camouflage hiding behind a wall has been caught on camera by a sharp-eyed photographer – dressed as a bush.
David Driver, 64, had disguised himself as a bush when he captured these stunning shots of a lurking owl in Haworth, Yorkshire, where the walls appear to have eyes.
He had left his home in Oakworth, West Yorkshire, on Friday night to catch a pair of barn owls when a pair of piercing yellow eyes stopped him.
His disguise meant the owl briefly emerged from hiding behind the wall and he was able to capture the bird on camera from where it was crouched in the nearby grass.
The retired photographer, who still shoots for fun every day, said: “The little owl is a cheeky fellow, isn’t he!
“Despite the poor light, I went out that night, and on my way to the barn owls, I thought I saw something moving on top of a dry stone wall.
“I stopped, got out of the car, walked into the middle of a field and put on my binoculars, but nothing…
“I squatted in the grass and waited a few minutes, and slowly a little head appeared and stared at me.
“Don’t know what to think of a man dressed as a bush, he decided to risk just one eye before hiding and taking cover again.”
Avid birdwatcher David had donned a full camouflage suit to disguise himself as a bush to get closer to the birds without disturbing them.
His unusual appearance has resulted in incredible photos of unsuspecting animals – and a few odd looks from strangers spotting him.
He said: “I was once stopped by a man who asked me why I was dressed as a bush.
“I said that wasn’t a problem — the problem was why he was talking to a bush.
“When crossing fields, you just have to be careful not to get run over by a tractor.”
David has had a passion for photography from an early age and continues to take pictures for himself to sell.
He mainly photographs landscapes and wildlife and became fascinated by these beautiful birds two years ago.
He said: “I spend a lot of time in Africa shooting big game, mainly cats, but when covid came I couldn’t travel so I found something closer to home to shoot.
“I’ve always loved birds and found owls fascinating – so a few years ago, during covid, I started going out to watch owls almost every night.
“I was trying to understand their behavior patterns to get an idea of the best place to take pictures.
“Sometimes I came back with nothing, but other nights I came back with some really nice images.
“It’s always great to see the birds in flight sometimes and I’m waiting behind a camera for the right picture for an hour.”
You can view more of David’s work on his instagram @driver.david or on the website: http://hobcotestudios.co.uk/