Gadzooks! What are you doing here? Go away… I feel so exposed!

A tell-all, in-depth, investigative interview with the recently exposed Brown Hawk Owl, Percy.

Reporter: So, what really happened?

Percy: Well, after our adventures in the Pea Green boat ended, the pussycat and I parted ways due to…

Reporter: I was asking about that night, when Hasitha caught you in a…. compromising position?

Percy: Ah that, well, it’s embarrassing really. A misunderstanding actually. My bedtime that day was just a mess because of all these annoying little daytime birds that kept bothering me and asking me to move because I was making them “uncomfortable”. I only got a brief nap when they finally gave up and left in the early evening. I was so groggy and trying to get my bearings in the prime of the night, when suddenly I was ambushed by this human taking pictures of me. I mean, I love posing for a nice IG post, but give me half a chance to preen and get my best IG pout on people!

Fun Facts

Reporter: Hmmm, sounds plausible. But why were these daytime birds bothering you?

Percy: Insecurity! They’re just jealous that I fly freely all over Sri Lanka and eat pretty much anything I want; insects, frogs, lizards, small birds, and even mice. They’re especially envious of my mellifluous voice. Here, let me sing for you “oo..uk, oo..uk, oo..uk”. Ohhh yeah! You heard that hit before haven’t you? How good was that?

Reporter: Gobsmacked. Right, thanks for your time but I have to rush. Apparently Joey Tribbiani has been spotted in Wilpattu and I have to get the scoop!

Story of the Photo

Thanks to some smart sleuthing, Hasitha snapped this candid shot just after dinnertime, tracking down the owl within the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Wilpattu in late December 2020. As you can see, the owl was quite surprised to be photographed, giving rise to the theory that he may have been engaging in some naughty activity.