Variety is the spice of life.

Today I was owl n about very early, by 5.30am I was already at my chosen location (site 92 near Gilmorton)and sitting in my hide awaiting the owls to show. The reason for the early start was.......light!! This nest site is situated underneath a large tree and the canopy leaves it in complete shade for the whole day, apart from an hour or so at sunrise. So it was just a matter of keeping an eye on the weather forecast as to when it was going to be a nice bright start to the day.........and today was the day!!!! 

During the three hours I was there the owls made five visits to the nest site. As you will see from my images a constant supply of food was coming in, and a real variety too. I'm sure if the parent owls keep this up the 3 owlets will soon be out the nest and off.....fingers crossed.

On the first visit they brought in a right old juicy worm, look at the dam length of it, longer than the owl!! 

The second visit it was a moth........I think?

With the third and fourth visits came even more variety in the form of little grubs and caterpillars, buy sadly no images as a very inconsiderate branch was blowing about in the wind and obscured my line of sight.

Then some proper grub was brought in in the shape of a small rodent, not sure if it's a shrew, mouse or vole? But one thing's for sure, it was dead and it was gunna be eaten!!!

A really enjoyable few hours, but sadly the sun soon moved round and the light levels dropped too low to get any more decent images.  

Arty Farty!

Over the last two days I have been going about my normal owling business only this time I was in the good company of Andy Rouse the well know wildlife photographer. We had loads of plans, loads of sites to visit and loads and loads of Little Owls to photograph............well that was the plan!!! The weather has been just abysmal and it hardly stopped raining for the two days he was with me. To make the most of the daylight hours (what day light?) we had two early starts and staked out numerous locations.

Below are a few of the images I managed (as usual double click on it for greater detail), not a lot to show considering the amount of time we spent, but not too bad when you take into account the constant rain and very low light levels. We had some very quiet periods when the owls just did not show, so this gave me plenty of opportunity to discuss with Andy some of the photo techniques he employs which results in some stunning images.

Among all the tips and advice he gave me one of the best was to try and achieve an atmospheric image that shows not only the owl but the natural surroundings it lives in too. Given the right situation, conditions and some accommodating owls I will be trying this new technique out in the future.

My first attempt at an "atmospheric image" normally I would have cropped this image so it would have shown just the owl and hardly any thing else. Here we can see (if you look hard enough) the owl just emerging from its nest entrance with some superb tree detail.

The same bird a split second or so late, I've had to crop out some really horrible areas of the image and thus the composition is not quite right but I think it works.................nearly???

The next site we visited is a bird and an setting I have taken on many previous occasions, only this time I have tried to be a little bit more "arty" by allowing the image to "breath" a bit. Can you see the owl?

Another attempt at being a little more artistic, nicely posed owl and some nice detail on the tree trunk and nothing else that is distracting to the eye!

This next image shows a nice natural "green" habitat that I particually like that shows off the bird well, but due to the foreground branches I had to crop it more that I would have liked. Obviously the horrible grey sky on the right hand side is really distracting to the eye and completely spoils the image.

This next image was taken from quite a considerable distance and I would normally have cropped right into the bird making it hardly usable, but because I haven't been as severe as normal with the cropping it makes the image a little more usable.

Finally this last image shows I thought a little more about my positioning and got a nice composition of the Little Owl and on an interesting branch..........but what spoils it is the horrid gap in the background trees that shows the sky, doooohhhhh!!!! 

It was a real experience and privilege spending some time with Andy and hopefully his advice will pay dividends for me in the future??...........Cheers Andy.

Washing in the rain!

Rid you must be bonkers going out in this, I thought to myself as I made my way to the "big field" in South Wigston, it was absolutely pouring it down with rain, the light was really poor, surely no sane Little Owl would be mad enough to venture out in this..........or would they???

I parked up the Landrover in between the nest tree and some very attractive hunting posts (attractive to the owls that is) and waited. The rain was so heavy I couldn't see out of the windows, so it was on with the de-mister and windscreen wipers, five minutes later I spotted my first owl (he must be as mad as me being out in this!!!).

What I witnessed next was truly remarkable, the owl in question sat on a fence post, wings outstretched having a bath for a good 10 minutes!!!! Well of all the different and unusual antics that I have seen Little Owls perform this was a new one to me. 

Double click on any of the below images for larger and more detailed version.

After the rain bath the owl got to work looking for worms on the grass. it didn't take him long to find his juicy wriggly morsel and he flew with it onto a post I had previously positioned. Moments later he was off again, worm in beak towards his nest hole.

There was no messing about, he flew straight to the cavity, popped his head in and fed the chick. Not the greatest image but I uploaded it because if you look carefully you can see the chick just inside the hole, no doubt waiting for his next feed.

I then moved on along the field and up to site 77, today an owl was out.

I am really in a rush whilst writing this as I am suppose to be going out for a curry........10 minutes ago!!!! So I'm gunna have to cut loose and go, but before I  dash off, I would like to leave you with this final image of a very wet and bedraggled Little Owl, an image I am very very pleased with...........possibly my best so far????

Rocky road to sucess!

Today is my first day of a weeks holiday, so in preparation for Andy Rouse's visit later on this week I opted  to give a local quarry a go today to see if the Little Owls would be active in the daytime. Well they were.......but only after a five hour wait!!!!

A single bird showed very well on two separate occasions for around 10 minutes each time, with hindsight I wish I had positioned my hide closer to the rock face as I think I could have gained a little more detail on my images, anyway a lesson learnt for my next visit!

Below are some of the captures from the day, double click on any image for more detail.

please enjoy.................

  

The image below was my favourite from the day, he landed about half way between me and the rock face, I obviously didn't put him off!

What a change it made to get some Little Owl images in different surroundings, makes a change from the normal fence posts and cavity entrances............hope you agree????

Good old Blackies!!!!

Went out really early today, the mission was to get my first images from Little Owl sites 104 & 105. Although I visit these sites regularly and see the owls on maybe every other visit they are always too distant to get any half decent images, until today........... 

I employed different tactics, rather than just sauntering around when the sun is shining (like on previous occasions)  I arrived at the crack of sparrows (dam early to those who have never heard of that expression) and boy oh boy did it pay dividends. Although the light levels were poor at first (slow shutter speeds) and the constant drizzle didn't help, I think the conditions were perfectly suited to the owls. 

First birds to show were at site 105, they were moving about from post to post busily hunting and looking out for a breakfast morsel.   

 Site 105 - Hiding amongst the blossom.

Site 105

 

 Site 105 - A little wet and a little nearer.

After some fantastic views of the pair at site 105 it was time to drive to the other end of the field to see if I could have as much luck at site 104, en-route I passed site 77 but nothing showing there today! 

As I drew up to the suspect nest tree my attention was drawn to a pair of Blackbirds (Mr Hauge, please note bird names are now capitalized ;-) LOL!!!!) that were making a right old racket along the hedgerow. Now Blackbirds don't like Little Owls, justifiably so as there has been many a Blackbird chick that has ended up on the Little Owls menu! So when they do come beak to beak the Blackies mock the owls and constantly harass them until they move on. Well that's exactly what happened today, I drove very slowly to where the pair of Blackbirds were going absolutely ape and what did I locate, you've guessed it................Little Owls.

It wasn't long before the first owl had had enough of the mocking and flew off but the second held fast, it moved around from branch to branch until it too had had enough and off it flew to join its mate. Thanks to the Blackbirds and all the commotion they were making I was able to firstly detect the owls and secondly get relative close which resulted in some nice images.

Site 104 - A quiet moment!

Site 104 - Owl No 1 - Chased off by the Blackbird! Double click image for greater detail.

Site 104 - Owl No 2 - Chased off by the Blackbird! Double click image for greater detail.

Mission accomplished!

Tonight I was on a mission......to get a Little Owl image in the late setting sun that would have a hint of a "golden glow" about it. I went to Flash Farm, Narborough, a location just down the road from where I live. At this site there is horizontal limb that the birds here seem quite fond of, but upon arrival it was in complete shade, dohhhhh! When the owls finally showed it was just before 9pm, but by then the sun had moved round sufficiently for the favoured limb to be in reasonable light but it was fading, and fast! Then right on cue and just after 9.00pm an owl dropped into position with a beetle in its beak, I rattled of a few shots. The image below was the best of the lot and I am really pleased with it, and as far as I am concerned............mission accomplished! 

Double click on image for greater detail.

Bad news and mouse supper!

Tonight I went to check out a couple of my occupied little owl nest boxes as it has been a couple of weeks since I last visited them. I was keeping my fingers crossed that both sites will by now have chicks.

First stop was a site at South Wigston, on my last visit the hen bird was sitting tight on four eggs. Oh but nothing like that tonight, when I opened the nest box door to have a peek inside my heart sank, the box was empty!!!! No parent owl, no eggs and no chicks. I suspect something (or someone) had been in to either eat them or even worse........take the eggs??? Problem with this site is it's not far from a very well used public bridle way and I have noticed many people spot the nest box.......a lesson learnt on future site selections!

Next stop was over at Kilby, better news here, mother a three very healthy fat chicks of about 2 weeks old were in the box. Luckily this box is located well off the beat and track and the only disturbance is from me and the local farmer driving by in his tractor. I'll be looking to make a re-visit in the next week or so to do some ringing with Andy Smith.

My last check was a natural site at Whetstone, the last time I visited the hen bird was sitting on seven eggs. Well not anymore, they have transformed into a nest full of fluffy balls and pin feathers. Due to the sprawling mass I wasn't able to deter just how many there were, definitely 3, possibly 4 and with a bit of luck 5 but I am convinced there wasn't seven?

Well that was enough of checking boxes for tonight, next on my itinerary for the evening was owls in flight images, and site 107 was where I was going to give it a go. Upon arrival one of the adult birds was located sitting just inside the nest hole giving me the glare!

It wasn't long before the second adult bird showed bringing home a mouse supper. I nearly nailed the flight shot but I wasn't quite ready with the camera settings ......well that's my excuse for missing yet another fantastic opportunity, to be truthful they are just too fast for me!  

I was now ready and waiting, the light levels were just fantastic, all I needed now was an obliging fly past owl............and it happened, resulting in my best yet little owl flight image. Still not the pin sharpe image I am after but it'll do for now!!!!!!  

Mouse for tea!

Have been away for the weekend so no chance for any owling, at least not until I got back this evening. Decided to get over to my latest little owl site (No 107) not far from Gilmorton, my intention's.......to try and get my first images of the resident owl(s).

I positioned the landrover not far from the suspect nest tree and watched the potential nest entrance. It wasn't long before I spotted an owl flying around with a mouse in its beak, my suspicions were soon confirmed as it flew to the nest hole and passed the half eaten mouse over a second owl (female) that popped out of the hole..........excellent a pair!!!!!

The male owl was off in a flash, presumably more hunting to do, the female sat at the hole devouring the remnants of the mouse carcass before it disappeared into the hole. It was at this stage I moved the landrover to a more advantageous position that made it easier to see the nest entrance. She then re-emerged with a very bloody face, obviously the mouse had been ripped to bits and fed her chicks.

The lay of the land at this location makes it perfect for owl in flight images, so that's what I am going to attempt very very soon..........watch this space!!!!!!!

Just around the corner from site 107 is site 92,  so beings as I was driving right past the nest tree on my way home I thought it rude not to stop off for a couple of minutes. I only had to wait for 30 seconds before a very obliging and confiding owl offered some cracking close views, it didn't hand around for long though!!!

It's in the detail!

Met up with John again tonight down at "owl avenue" and true to form the newly found resident barn owls showed again at around 9.45pm. Didn't bother with any images as John says my images of the pair that I took on Tuesday night were pretty good anyway, they just need a bit of post processing (he's an expert at this you know) so here's the same image from Tuesday with John's finishing touches.

I was really pleased with the former images but now I'm just astounded with the detail that John has managed to bring out!!!! For a better appreciation of this please double click on the picture for a larger image and more detail.

Barnstormer!

Stay in and watch the footie or go and have an hour or two down at "owl avenue"?????

The following images should give you an idea of what I decided to do..........the right choice I think!

It had been a reasonable successful evening with the little owls showing well,  and I think some slight improvements with the flight images too?? But then the evening turned into a barnstormer when the recently located barn owl appeared, and then to make matters even better a pair!.......what a privilege!!!

Flighty Owls.

Went out reasonably early today to make the most of the sunlight being in the right location for some hopeful owls in flight shots at a private local site. Although the resident owls were out and mobile they were a fair way off. Having said that I still struggled to really nail that pin sharp image that I so desire, well one with a head that could be seen anyway, I am becoming quite an expert of "back end" flight shots!!!

Nice even light, nice background, nicely in focus........no head!!!

Great light, nice solid background, nice and sharp......no head!

Nice light, messy background, slightly out of focus but an owl with a head!

Still not what I am looking for but the best of a pretty average bunch.

I think I should stick to static owls for the time being? Here are a few that I was particularly pleased with.

 Having a good old scratch. 

Watching the overhead Buzzard.

A posing pair.

And finally something else from the day..........Brown Hare.