A suitable pastime for a wet week is to make a study of Tyto alba, the common barn owl.
Also known as the Monkey-faced Owl, Ghost Owl, Church Owl, Death Owl, Hissing Owl, Hobgoblin or Hobby Owl, Golden Owl, Silver Owl, White Owl, Night Owl, Rat Owl, Scritch Owl, Screech Owl, Straw Owl, Barnyard Owl and Delicate Owl.
I heard them (all?) screeching in the night and decided to look them up.
My picture has the little fellow in a barn (naturally) but perched over a big pool of water -- unnaturally.
Don't think they're likely to swim somehow.
A website tells me that the mating call of the male is "a shrill repetitive twittering".
I know all about that.
Well, not the "mating" bit.

Sledge