An afternoon's owling.

I was slightly sombre this morning, I went to watch the MIGHTY Leicester City FC last night with Daz and we lost again 1-2 to Watford, we are still alive......just......but with only one game to go of a very long season we have to win away at our arch enemy (Forest). And if that wasn't hard enough we also have to hope the results at another three games go in our favour too, and that is just to reach the play offs. We have two hopes and one of those is Bob!

 

OK I apologise for venting my spleen, lets get back to this afternoons owling...........

 

Three different owl species were seen, firstly it was the Little Owls. My buddy Adey has been keeping an eye on my site No 81 since their nest tree got rather heavily pruned. We needn't have worried, they are still there and seem to be thriving even though the happy chainsaw wielding "prunist" has made their entrance hole somewhat larger!

Firstly the male owl showed, he'd just finished a meal judging by the "bloody morsel" that was still stuck to his beak!

Then the hen owl showed, I had her in view for all of 2 seconds! She gave me a quick glance before disappearing into the nest cavity.

I then made my way over to my "flavour of the week", the Tawney site. Only one bird was visible today although I did hear the second owl calling. I can't believe that these birds are still showing so well??? I know I am a bit of a novice when it comes to this species but they are normally so nocturnal, maybe it is characteristic that when in the middle of the breeding season they show better, who knows??



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Whilst with the Tawnies I had the opportunity to capture a bit of video footage. It does have a lot of distracting background noise but it was very windy. If you listen carefully the hen owl can be heard calling back to the male from her nest site.

Click on the arrow to view.

 

 

On my way home I stopped off to check out one of the Barn Owl boxes that Col and erected a few weeks ago, I wasn't expecting to see any evidence that it is being used. Whilst in the building that the box is in a Barn Owl flew from the box and up into the rafters, well I wasn't expecting that!!!

 

Before I got home I also stopped off at my Little Owl site No 21, the door of the nest box was carefully opened and to my delight there sat the hen owl with her new clutch of 3 freshly laid eggs. Although all the owls have been delayed somewhat with the bad weather I still have high hopes that it is going to be a breeding season to remember......