After the minor setback (see previous post) I chose to ignore the idiots and resisted the temptation to respond, so instead I went out to find some WILD owls!
Two sites were visited this evening, firstly I went to my
"star site" and surprisingly they weren't as co-operative tonight?
Early on things were pretty much the same as on previous visits with the parent
owls flying to and fro from the feeding area and then back to the nest. Things
then got rather noisy over at the nest tree, the two juveniles had fledge the
nest. The parents were then pre-occupied trying to chaperone them to a safe
location, but the youngsters were having none of it! They were both sitting out
on bare limbs squawking and begging for food. The parents could obviously sense
their vulnerability and that they were sitting ducks for any would be predator.
The next hour or so made for quite interesting viewing (no images though they
were too far away for my 300mm lens). Both the parent owls sat on a grassy
mound next to a disused rabbit burrow, they were calling frantically in an
attempt to coax them down to the safe haven. I know this to be the case as last
year at this site this is where the juveniles (4 of them) spent their first few
weeks once they had fledged.
Although I was a good 30 yards away from all the
action it then dawned on me that maybe the presence of my Landrover was causing
the juveniles to be hesitant about coming down to the ground. With this thought
I made a hasty retreat and left them to it, consequently only a couple of images were
captured here today.
The second location I visited, site No 45 was
only just up the road, on my last visit here I strategically positioned and old
spade with the hope that one of the owls may use it as a perch and one of them
did, great when a plan comes together! Only the single owl was seen here
although I could hear at least one juvenile begging but couldn't locate it.
I arrived here too late really, even though the
light was good most of the area was soon in shade, so for once I called it an
early night, well the football was on, and that proved to be a complete let down!
I have named this owl Doug, get it?
Well done, straight back in the saddle ;-) Wonderful photos as always!
ReplyDeleteGreat images Paul, liking that second shot where the owl is looking straight at the camera!
ReplyDeleteGreat set of images Paul. and yes sadly I did get the joke, it's one I've heard a few times before lol.
ReplyDelete