Pigeon flown into our window chased by a Common Buzzard, left a heck of an expression. Photo by Paul Riley, Holt Park, Leeds.
Joan is in a “Next Door” group in Leeds and showed me the above photo by Paul Riley in August 2026. It reminded her of an impression of an owl left on our front main window in 2020. Paul’s photo shows the detailed feather pattern of the chest as well as the beak and the front edges of the wings. This occurred in daylight and he obviously saw the approach of a Buzzard. We do not see any buzzards in Gledhow Valley but I have seen one in North West Leeds where Paul is. There are lots of Red Kites round here. The impression is apparently formed by feathers having a waterproof oil on them, which is left behind on the window.
As an artist I am fascinated by this process. It is like a natural printing press which allows us to visualize what happened. It helps to have some darkish elements in the background to highlight the image. Here is our own impression again, from May 2020.
Full window impression of Tawny Owl, with good body, head and wing detail. Mick Burton, Leeds continuous line artist.
With owls, they have a “powdery down” a substance to protect growing feathers. Our dark evergreen hedge in the background helps to highlight the image. We can see wing feathers, chest, legs and a beak.
Our side front window is now used as a base for a Robin Feeder, a little tray which Joan loads with mealworms. Here is a Robin on it after we first stuck it to the window.
Robin on feeding tray on front side window. Mick Burton, Continuous Line Artist.
The problem is that squirrels try and hang down to the tray, or bigger birds such as magpies land and knock the tray off the window. This scatters mealworms on the path which they can then go down an eat. Placing the tray centrally on the window seems to work best. Surprisingly, we have had a Jay this year which is fairly big but is able to land gently and eat all the mealworms.
Jay on Robin feeder on front side window. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.
The Jay is only around for a few weeks each year and it is entertaining watching it through the window. I saw a hedgehog on the path under the window and apparently they love mealworms and so the scatterings attract all sorts.
Hedgehog on front path, maybe fancying the mealworms dropped from the Robin feeder. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.
A problem for birds and squirrels in the garden is cats, particularly if you do not have a cat yourself. Everybody else’s cats take over.
Two cats on separate garage roofs. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.
Two cats on separate garage roofs. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.These cats, and many others spend a lot of time in our garden. They are always on the look out for birds or squirrels. ere is a squirrel which lives to tell the tail.
This tailless squirrel was photographed in November 2025. It is still around and we hope it is for some time to come.
Squirrel with no tail in November 2025. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.
