There has been far too much rushing around just recently, I seemed to have been continually flitting between different owl sites gaining access permission, checking boxes, monitoring any breeding and ringing chicks.
So this evening it was going to be a chill out night where I was going to stake out just the one site. I was at my site No 115 near to Newbold Verdon, I know there has been breeding here as I saw two juveniles at the nest entrance last weekend, it did eventually produced the goods but not before it was nearly dark!
Around 8.30pm the hen owl emerges from the nest entrance.
Shortly after a single chick emerges.
At 9.15pm the second chick comes out, the light starts to fade so flash was necessary to attain images from here on in. One of the adults then make a fleeting visit, it wasn't until I reviewed this image (below) that I realised it must have made a food delivery, it's dinner can been seen hanging out the beak of the chick on the right!
Five minutes later I had a real surprise, a third chick emerged!
Then it got ridiculous, a fourth chick!!!!
The male owl made a visit at 10.00pm, he too had brought in dinner.
The male disappeared into the nest with the mouse, all four youngsters in close pursuit.
That was it, time for me to go.............
Absolutely superb images, Paul. I particularly like the one of the four chicks. Well done - again!!!
ReplyDeleteha! the one of all four is so cute!
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