The Complete Owl by Michael Leach

13^th January 2009

The hall in Exeter was full for the talk by Michael Leach on “The Complete Owl”.

He not only showed beautiful photographs, but gave a very witty commentary as well keeping the audience riveted, and making the whole evening most enjoyable for all.

He has given talks in over 50 countries, and where-ever he goes, he says everyone loves owls they are the most popular bird on earth!.

He is well known for his photography, and has written 27 books containing some of his stunning wildlife photographs, and these books have been translated into 11 different languages.

He had always wanted to be an explorer and wildlife photographer; and after leaving university eventually got a job working for the BBC as a wildlife cameraman. He worked with Sir David Attenborough, amongst others, and a typical half hour film would take over a year to put together working seven days a week, twenty four hours a day!

He told a lovely story about making a film called “24 hours of a motorway”; of how he baited the hard shoulder with a dead rabbit (bought from a butcher) hoping birds would come and feed off it, only to have it taken three days running by a young fox that thought it had found a fast food takeaway!

He went on to work as a freelance cameraman working for both the BBC and other independent broadcasters.

He has been a full time wildlife photographer and author since 1977, and is now one of Europe’s top professionals, with his photographs appearing in over 800 books.

His slide show showed some of the 136 species of owl that there are in the world, and he has spent two and a half years searching the world for them all, and has now written an illustrated book about his adventures.

Owls are not as intelligent as we all believe; it was a myth that started in Greece, and most of their head is taken up by eye sockets, not brain. The closest relative to the owl is the Nightjar.

Everyone also thinks that owls only ever come out at night and hunt, but this is not so; 47 species of owl forage during daylight hours.

Although many species of owl are becoming rarer in some countries; such as the Barn Owl in Great Britain; this is not the case worldwide and Barn Owls flourish in Europe.

Michael Leach was a delight to listen to, and his photographs were stunning,. No doubt his other twelve or so illustrated talks about his travels across the world and wildlife encounters are just as enjoyable.

Lindsay Clitherow