Site 108!!!

More checking for signs of Little Owl chicks last night, three more sites produced the goods.

Firstly, there was two out of the nest at site No 75 at Peatling Parva, again I located them by sitting quietly within the vicinity of the nest site and listening. After a twenty minute wait the characteristic "hissing" was heard and they were soon located in a nearby oak tree.

I did managed an image of both Juveniles but unfortunately only this one was usable.

The second location that came up trumps was site No 45 at Willoughby Waterleys. Sadly only one young bird was seen at this site....so far!! But the good news is this was the site that I dismissed at being productive this year as I saw a Weasel was seen coming out of the nest entrance a few weeks ago!

The final location that confirmed breeding success was site No 103 at Willoughby Waterleys, and this turned out to be quite a surprise! Previously I had only ever seen a single Little Owl at this site, again it was seen as I drove up the lane. It was sitting on a broken limb in a Weeping Ash (apparently this type of tree is quite rare!!) it sat motionless as I managed a few images, my best of this bird so far.

 

Just after I bumped into the local land owner (Dave) and we got talking "Little Owls". He had seen the local owls and he was sure there was a pair....and they had young!!!   After a refreshing beer and a tour of his nest boxes (thank you Dave) I was compelled to go back and investigate further. I drove back to the Weeping Ash tree and parked up, by now it was 10.30pm and dark, so seeing the owls was an almost impossibility. So it was a waiting and listening game, and I didn't have to wait long! Out of the silence came a hissing,  once my eyes had become adjusted to the darkness I was able to make out 3 Little Owl silhouettes up high in a tree, 2 adults and 1 juvenile, Dave was right, there was a pair and they had a youngster!!!!

During the evening search I also stopped off at few other sites where only adult birds were seen, I did managed this atmospheric image at site No 19, hopefully chicks here on my next visit? 

And finally, some more good news from last night, Little Owl site No 108 was located, a new site for me over at Gilmorton. He was located sitting in a Pear Tree but I wasn't ready and sadly no photo, that is until my next visit!!!!

As usual, double click on any image for a larger more detailed version.

Guarding Dads

This evenings fabulous weather got me owl 'n' about checking over a few local sites. It would now appear that the breeding season is well and truly underway in owl world. Only single birds where seen at the 5 sites I visited and these were all presumably males as the hen birds should be well tucked away by now incubating their clutches. At his time of the year the male birds are staying out of the nest longer whilst keeping a vigil very close to the nest site, so locating them wasn't too difficult.

This first image is from the site that is just 400 metres or so from where I live. It is by far the best image I have managed so far from this site thanks to the great light levels, shame about the twig!

Site 103, Whetstone Golf Course

And again at the second site the male bird was easy to find, close to the nest hole and sitting in the sun!

Site 75, Peatling Parva - Preistlands

The third site is very exposed and what little breeze there was created this nice and unusual effect on the owls feathers.

Site 22, Blaby - Whetstone Gorse

By the time I got around to the fourth site the light was going but I still managed to locate the male owl and get my best image of this bird to date.

Site 103, Willoughby lodge Farm Site B

After a good couple of hours watching the little owls an owl of a different species was located on the drive back. Not the best quality as the conditions really were by now against me but a bit of post processing has made it passable........just?

Barn Owl, a nice late surprise!

Excellent Night!

Had to get out this evening and make the most of the glorious evening sun, and boy what a memorable evening it turned out to be!

Firstly a trip over to Barwell to check out one of my boxes and although I didn't see an owl go into the box it was hanging around pretty close (image below) dare I suggest near enough is good enough??......no of course not!!

Site 42, Kirkby Mallory - Brockey Farm Site A

My second stop was at Sapcote, I wasn't holding out much hope to see anything at this site as my last sighting was back in the autumn of 2009! I feared the worst and that the bad winter had taken its toll, and then I saw him, looks like we have a survivor after all. Not the best of images but one I was really pleased to be able to take.

Site 49, Sapcote - Glebe Farm Site B

Next was site 75 over at Peatling Parva, this location has become a bit of a regularity just recently, only one bird showing again which now indicates the female is sitting tight on her eggs. In comparison with all the other hundreds of little owls I have encountered, it is quite incredible how confiding this male bird is. He really wasn't bothered about my presence as can be seen here he was more interested in finishing his beetle!

Site 75, Peatling Parva - Preistlands.

Not far from site 75 is site 58, here both birds were out, the first (image below) was sitting in the nest tree not too far from my box, the second bird was 50 mts or so along the hedgerow hunting. Obviously no egg laying yet otherwise the hen bird would be tucked away doing her incubation duties. 

Site 58, Peatling Magna - Lower Brookhill Farm.

It was now time to check out another box at site 45, this was another site where I hadn't made any sightings this year. Judging on how well the evening was going I was hopeful of an owl showing. My patience paid off as I spotted the bachelor bird and guess what? He had another bird with him!!! Can the night get any better?

Next the new pair put on a very fine mating show with plenty of squeaking, squawking and wing flapping. Maybe the nest box at this site will get some use after all?

Just as I was departing they came over towards me (maybe for a closer look) and sat staring from a trailer and fence that the farmer had left out.

Site 45, Willoughby - Willoughby Lodge Farm.

Being really pleased with the evenings events and the light was fading fast it was time to make tracks home. I was reflecting on the nights events when suddenly I spotted what I thought was a little owl, it was in a location where I hadn't seen one before and only a couple of hundred metres from the last site!! No it couldn't be.......could it? I pulled up, opened the window and waited. Oh my god it was then confirmed, sitting on top of a telegraph pole calling out was a little owl......RESULT.....get in there site 103!!!!.

Although nearly dark there was just enough light for a record shot (below).

What I thought was a great night suddenly turned into an excellent night! 

NEW Site 103,  Willoughby - Lodge Farm

En route to 75.

Today found me being escorted by Richard Pegler, another photographer and birding supremo from the north west of the county. Richard and I had a day out owling on my patch at the back end of last year and since then he too has also got the little owl bug! He has been doggedly searching around the area where he lives and now has a very creditable portfolio of 9 unique little owl sites, you can catch up with Richard, his owls and many other bird related items at Peglerbirding. 

Anyway, today was a little different rather than go owling all day we decided to spend the morning over at Eyebrook reservoir to see if the ospreys had returned back after their long migration from Africa. 

On the way over to Eyebrook Richard was telling me he hadn't seen a little owl for a few weeks so I made a slight detour to see if my favourite owl "scabby" was showing (see my very 1st post). As we pulled up he was there, sitting at the nest hole entrance posing for the cameras!

Scabby the owl, Site 16, Kilby - Newstead Farm.

As we drove down the approach lane to Eyebrook I pulled over and pointed out to Richard that the isolated oak tree in the field was home to a pair of little owls, after a bit of straining we picked out the pair in the tree.  

2 little owls, can you see them?

When we finally arrived at the reservoir we parked up at the bridge and started to survey the surrounding area, there wasn't much showing (not a single wader of any description ) this wasn't surprising though as after the recent heavy rain the Eyebrook was so heavily swollen it had covered the mudflats.

 

Eyebrook Reservoir from the bridge (into the sun!). 

With nothing of any note showing in or around the waters edge we turned to the sky, this is where all the action was! Within a minute or two we picked up several buzzards, a red kite and our target for the morning, a returning osprey. As the image below shows it was quite distant but still good to see.

A long distant traveller.

Eventually we lost sight of the osprey so we moved along the reservoir to the Stoke Dry car park, here we bumped into John Turner (whom I went out with last weekend). John had earlier had some very good views of the osprey and you can see his excellent picture by clicking on this link birdguides.

After a good morning watching the raptors at Eyebrook it was now back down to business of little owls on my local patch. I wanted to take Richard over to my site 75 as the pair there had been showing really well recently. On route we stopped off at site 31, Crossways Farm. Because I was driving I wasn't able to take any images here but I managed to position the landrover in such a way Richard was able to capture some of the action, click here to see  Peglerbirding.

Still on our way to site 75 we went by site 53, here we pulled over and had some distant views of the little owl feeding on the ground.

Site 53, Countesthorpe - Soars Lodge Farm - Site B.

We finally arrived at site 75 and true to form both of the resident owls were located with-in minutes. Here we both managed to get some images of the very showy male bird.

Show off.

Just before we departed the male owl joined his partner and again some pleasing images were obtained.

Site 75, Peatling Parva - Preistlands

Not a bad day at all, I think the final tally was; Little Owl - 10, Red Kite - 1, Buzzard 11, a few Kestrels and a single Osprey.

Spring???????

Great the clocks have changed giving a little more time after work to get owl and about but somebody needs to remind the weather gods that we are now into spring and the summer is just around the corner. Tonight was a total wipe out, only 3 owls seen at 11 different sites and not surprising giving the drizzle, winds and low temperatures!

Believe it or not there was a 10 minute rest bite when the sun tried to shine through and I managed these images of the pair at Preistlands, site 75.

The male bird having a quick peep!

The female bird came half out but she soon had better ideas and back in she went.

Owls 5 Owlers 15 (ish)

Today I met up with John Turner, an avid birder and great photographer whom normally spends most of his time over at Eyebrook reservoir. Anyhow John was after seeing some little owls and if possible the chance to improve on his images so he tagged along with me for the day.

Our meeting point was wistow craft and garden centre at 10.00am, we met up but before the off we decided to pop into the onsite tearooms for a quick brew and a bacon sarnie, well only I had the sarnie, it was to help soak up the Guinness from the night before, thank you John it was delicious.

The weather forecast for the day was pretty good and I was very confident that we would see plenty of owls? The day started pretty slow and after two sites visited nothing was seen, and I told John the second site we visited was a dead cert banker!!!! What do I know?? (owls 2 owlers 0). The worm slowly turned as the day unfolded as we made sighting at the next five locations (owls 2 owlers 5).

During the nonstop site to site search we stopped off at Peatling Parva where I managed to get my best image yet from this site (below) of the male bird.

Site 75, Peatling Parva - Preistlands

The day progressed really nicely and loads of owls were eventually seen, I think John was well pleased as he managed some smashing images, these can be seen on the Birdguides Website. Although I couldn't be sure of the exact final score (probably 15-5) it was a deffo win for the owlers.

After I dropped John off and on my way back I decided to stop off again at the Preistands site and again good views were had (a pair this time). The birds were soon flying about the site and at one stage they were quite busy mating, through those observations I can now confirm that both the pictures taken today were of the male bird.

Peek a boo!

Pairs A Plenty!

This evening I visited a site where I had only ever previously seen 1 bird on two separate occasions and that was when it was almost dark so no images to speak of.........so far! Although I haven't mentioned it yet, I set my self a challenge of seeing at least 50, YES 50 different little owls this month. This was the reason that made me make the effort and get out there tonight even though the weather was just appalling, dark, windy and very wet. Nevertheless it turned out to be a fine evening for little owl sightings, although I make no apologies for the poor quality of the images because I can't do anything about the low light levels!

I didn't have to wait long before I located this bird sitting in a nearby ash tree, excellent, my first proper image from this site. Although difficult to see it is actually sitting on top of its nest hole entrance, small or what?

He moved around from perch to post and then to a stump giving me some different photographic opportunities.

He was obviously pleased to see me judging by that wink!!!

Another perch and another pose.

Then to really finish off an excellent half hour or so another bird appeared from nowhere, superb.... my expectations of more owlets for this summer increases with yet another confirmed pair!

Site 75, Peatling Parva - Preistlands.