Lincolnshire

Due to the fact that there has been plenty to post about during recent events locally I have fallen behind with what else I've been up to. During the Easter break I opted to abandon my local owls, (well only for a day), instead I chose to have a day out in Lincolnshire. I chose this area because after looking at the annual BTO ringing reports it seems as though Lincolnshire has a very healthy population of Barn Owls, even more than Norfolk!

 

I'd spent a couple of days studying maps and trawling the Internet, it is a huge county but eventually I'd pin pointed where I was going to go  and my day was planned. It was a 4.15am start and my chosen area was only just over an hours drive away, much better than Norfolk which is 2 hours on a good run.

 

It turned out to be a very productive day, in total Barn Owls were seen at 8 different locations, none of the sighting were close and consequently my images were not up to the quality of those I have been getting of late in Leicestershire (he says with tongue in cheek!) but the areas reputation of having a good population definitely turned out to be true.

 

The one thing that really separates this area from my home county is how flat the terrain is, this made it a lot easier for locating the daytime hunting Barn Owls.

 

 

 

There are a lot of roadside barns and derelict buildings in the area, just perfect for housing day time roosting owls. This image below was the closest I got to a Barn Owl all day (and that still was a fair distance), the image was taken from the car and the bird seemed as intrigued with me as I was with it!

 

 

During the day 4 Little Owl sites were also stumbled upon, and honestly that was without even trying! I guess it was a case of knowing where to look and employing the field craft techniques that I'd learnt over the years. I took hundreds of images and these few below are just a random selection from the 4 different sites.

 

 

It was a bizarre day weather wise, one minute it was brilliant sunshine the next it was snowing!

 

 

 

 

Not quite in focus and a heavy crop, but I like the posture in this next image, I thought it best viewed in a monochrome style.

 

 

 

This next image is my personal favourite of a Little Owl from the day (I am a sucker for dark backgrounds) the owl was perched on top of an old steel tank and I liked the way it peered around the pipe whilst being caught perfectly by the slither of sunlight.

 

 

 

The icing on the cake though were the fly past views of Male Marsh Harrier, what a bird!! These images are very heavy crops, too far away really for my 300mm lens but  what the heck they are by a country mile the best I have ever achieved.

 

 

 

It was a brilliant day, the conditions could have been better but I loved every second I was there, I can't wait for a return visit, of which I am sure will be very soon!

Sun soaked owls.

Thank goodness for the clocks changing to BST, it now means I can get out after work in some reasonable light. I knew that I hadn't got much time before the sun set so I decided to re-visit the Tawny Owl site I located yesterday, you never know it may be there again?? And my luck was in, it was there in exactly the same place only this time it was bathed in glorious light.

 

After the Tawny I had a drive around the lanes to see if I could locate a hunting Barn Owl, and I did! I watched it catch 2 voles in as many minutes, definitely a sign that the spring like conditions are far more favourable for catching their prey. I just managed to capture it as it flew past me, with the low setting sun reflecting off its plumage it really made it look like a flying bar of gold.  

 

All we need now to go along with these brighter evenings is for the bitterly cold wind to drop and then it may even be a pleasure to be out and about with the owls.

Tawny Owl......

That's it, the end of the Bank Holiday is nearly upon us. But I wasn't going out with a whimper, as far as I was concerned there was at least one more owling session in me before my thoughts turned back to work!

 

I went out early this afternoon, I was secretly hoping for some "early in the day" hunting Barn Owls but none were found. I know it seems daft to say after all the weather of late but today it was too bright! Instead my thoughts turned to Little Owls, and whilst at the first location that I checked out this gorgeous beauty (below) was spotted in the adjacent tree.

 

I really couldn't believe my luck, a brilliant consolation prize after not seeing a Barnie. Although Tawny Owls are probably the most numerous of the Owls to be found in the UK seeing one in the daytime is quite a rarity. Due to their nocturnal habits this encounter was a very special privilege for me indeed. It was sheltering out of the wind in a south facing tree hollow, I spent a nearly an hour in its company and in all that time this was the widest it opened its eyes.

Certainly made a nice change from watching Barn and Little Owls, even though all it did was sleep!

Chimping!!!

Let me tell you a story..........

Just over a week ago I did a post "micro climate" where I talked about a Barn Owl (image below) that I stumbled upon out hunting in the snow, do you recall? At the time I didn't know if it was a new bird/location or a known bird from another site that had re-located during the bad weather?

Mystery Barn Owl, where had it come from?

Since this sighting I have made several dawn & dusk visits to the said location to see if I could see the bird again, maybe an improve image would help in identifying it? I have re-located the bird on all but one subsequent visit and always in roughly the same area. It seems to favour a patchwork of  fields that lay in a small valley in between two country lanes. It hunts along the hedgerows until it reaches either of the lanes then it turns around and starts all over again. Once I'd realised its behaviour I'd position myself on either of the lanes and wait for it to work its way to me. Sometimes I would guess right and it would be at the end that I was at, but more more often than not it would be at the other end and just a dot in the distance!

 

Even if I did guess the right lane to be on it still didn't come close enough for me to capture a shot of it, apart from just the one occasion. Just as it was turning in midair to head back I managed to capture this image of it, below. As can been seen the light had almost gone and it is out of focus, hence why I never uploaded to my blog as I wanted to wait until I could attain something better. Even though it is a terrible image what it clearly shows is that has a ring on its left leg! 

 

A ringed Barn Owl

OK now I had something to work on in trying to identify this bird, what I needed was a very close encounter in good light and maybe if I was able to get an image the ring numbers could be read and then I'd know where it had come from and the mystery would be solved.

 

So that now brings us to last night, again I was playing the waiting game on my chosen lane. The light was pretty good for photography so all I need now was for the bird to show? I'd positioned the car near to a landing post that I'd seen it use before. My theory was if I could capture it on the post the subsequent image would offer me more of a chance of reading the numbers on the ring??

 

I'd been there waiting for an hour and there was no sign of the owl, I then started to scan the fields through my binoculars and there it was hunting at the other end, sods law or what? I was now in a dilemma, should I stay where I was and wait for it to come to me (as planned) or should I make the five minute drive to the other end? I'd had this choice to make before and made the wrong decision, I'd move only to find that when I got to where I'd seen it there was sign, it then reappeared after a while where I'd come from! But because this evening the light was starting to fade I chose to move to the other end????

 

A five minute dash down the lanes soon had me parked up at the other end and scanning the fields, it wasn't here! I'd made the wrong decision AGAIN!!! I was contemplating going back to my original location when I spotted it and it was still at my end! It was a hundred yards away but slowly heading in my direction. I leapt out of the car with camera at the ready, would it come close enough for an image? I went around the back of the car and used it as a hide, leaning on the roof to steady the camera I was ready.

 

It continued on its original path and  was getting nearer by the second, it was heading straight for me but because of the hedgerow behind it there was a lack of contrast and I couldn't "lock" on to it. Then it twisted and turned midair and rather than coming straight at me it veered off to the left. It also gained a little height as it crossed over the hedgerow, I was now able to "lock on" as it drifted across me.

 

The light wasn't brilliant and I was at an ISO of 1000 in order to get any kind of shutter speed (1/800 sec). I apologise for uploading several images that are very similar (I don't normally do this as it can be a bit boring) but I'm really chuffed with the results, below.

 

 

The owl then continued on its normal route and headed off in the direction of the other lane. This game me an opportunity to review the images I'd just taken. Had I had my camera settings correct and had I managed to capture it in focus??

 

I started to review the images and I was well pleased with the initial results, this is when I started "chimping"........???? Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo, the sound I was making was very similar to what a Chimpanzee makes, hence the title of this blog!! Come on all you photographers out there, you know what I'm talking about, we've all done it at sometime or another.............haven't we???

  

I was just about to depart when I spotted the owl again, it was coming back towards me for another pass by. This time I didn't have time to get out of the car and had to shoot out of the window, it came closer too!

 

 

Once I'd got back and uploaded the images to my computer it was time to see review them in more detail, would I be able to read the details on the ring? I didn't notice at the time of taking the images (and perhaps you didn't notice either?) but this bird does NOT have a ring on it's left leg, I am now even more confused!!! The only obviously answer is there are two different birds hunting this same area? I am even more determined than I was before to get back up and get some answers and improved images in better light.

 

What a brilliant encounter, I really enjoyed it and I hoped you liked the story too? 

Jo's Owls.

In my previous but one post I mentioned that I'd located my Little Owl site No 229, this finding came on the same day and only an hour or so after finding my site No 228.

I was checking out a new area for me when I chanced upon an isolated barn down a very narrow back lane. It looked very owly indeed so without further ado I pulled up adjacent to it and got the camo scrim up at the window. I was totally engrossed with checking it out when I almost jumped out of my skin after a tap at the window. It was the owner of the barn, Jo and she was investigating what this strange bloke (me!) in a strange car was doing? Once I'd explained she was totally OK with it, in fact she endorse it. We chatted for a few minutes and it turned out that there were Little Owls in residence, and a pair too! They had bred last year and raise the one juvenile, with that positive tit bit of info she left me to it.

The building was of brick construction on three sides with an open fronted aspect, it was facing the open frontage that I re-positioned the car and the wait started. It took a while for the first owl to show, I can only assume that it had dropped down from within the building eves, it landed on to a wooden pallet that was propped up at the barn opening. I wasn't expecting it to show where it did and a quick alteration of my camera settings allowed me my first image. The dark interior of the barn offered a nice black backdrop to the image.

Click images for larger view.


My first sighting and image from my new site 229.



Then a second bird flashed before me, it flew out of the barn and landed on a pile of rubble that was piled up next to the building. This bird was back lit from the sun which meant another quick change of the camera settings, but it stayed there long enough for me to capture this image below.

The second owl, site No 229.

My attention was then drawn back to the first owl, it had flew out of the barn and up onto the roof.

I was struggling with the direction of the light so I chanced spooking them and moved the car. This wasn't detrimental for too long as the first bird soon re-appeared on the pile of rubble. 

 

This site is located a bit further a field than my normal monitoring area, therefore it won't be visited as often as I'd like, but come the breeding season it should be brilliant site when the juveniles are out.

 

Many thanks must go to Jo who allowed me access, I'll see you again soon!

What a "good friday".

Absolutely glorious............. I can't think of a better words to describe what it was like being out in the heart of the countryside at 5.30am this morning. To watch the dawn of a new day and the world slowly coming to life as the sun rose above the horizon was brilliant. It was so tranquil and so eerily still, gone were the horrid high winds that have been bothering us of late. There was not another sole about and the only sound was that of the dawn chorus, and I managed to soak in the atmosphere and really appreciate it all with a hangover!!! I know the bank holiday weekend is all about taking it easy and chilling out away from the pressures of life/work, but give an early start a go, you won't regret it................I can't recommended it highly enough!!

 

Anyway, my early objective was to go and find some hunting Barn Owls. I was hoping that a few of the leads I have during the week would throw up some new sites? Sadly that wasn't the case with only one very brief sighting being made and that was at an existing site. But it didn't matter, just being out was reward enough on its own.

 

This is the Barn Owl sighting I made, below. Not the best of images as it was still pretty dark and taken though the side window of the car. I can only assume that is was sitting in this crevice taking a breather before it flew off into the distance, no doubt it was off to retire to its bed?

 

Barn Owl - Undisclosed site.

For the rest of the morning I flittered about between potential Barn Owl sites, along the way a few Little Owls and a solitary Buzzard were encountered.  I spotted the Buzzard sitting on top of a hedgerow up in front of me. I got the camera ready and drove deathly slow, I'd remembered to open the passenger window this time (unlike when I encountered the earlier Barn Owl!). And just as I predicted, I got level with it and off it flew!! How many times has that happened to me??

 

Buzzard

The next bird I encountered, a Little Owl at my site No 107 also flew off just before I could "lock" onto it, slightly blurred again!!!

 

Little Owl - Site No 107.

At my Little Owl site No 62 a single owl was located, thankfully this bird didn't fly off as soon as I pulled up. In fact I sat with it for at least half an hour, it didn't budge from it's original position all the time I was there.

 

Little Owl - Site No 62.

The final site of the day was at my Little Owl site No 4. The male owl was out on my arrival, he gave some great views as he hopped around on top of the green fence posts.

 

Little Owl (male) - Site No 4.

This bird didn't do too much and all the images were pretty similar really, a green post with an owl on the top! Then I heard the call of another owl, it must have been the hen bird? I had to reverse the car a few yards as it was awkward viewing but I eventually located her, she was sat at what I can only assume is the nest entrance? She posed nicely for about one second before she disappeared into the hole. I have been to this site dozens of times before and I'd always wondered where the nest was? And all this time it was virtually right under my nose, what a wally! 

 

Little Owl (hen) - Site No 4.

So all in all as the title of this post suggests, it WAS a good Friday. I wonder what tomorrow will bring as I am planning yet another very early start, Superb Saturday maybe??

New Little Owl site No 228....

Oh the past few days has just been unbelievable when it comes to Barn Owl sightings, I have been out every evening this past week and without exception there is a story to be told from every excursion? Adding to this the jungle drums have been beating very loudly, I have had no fewer than 9 emails, text messages and phone calls regarding local barn Owl sightings. And all but one could be a potential new site? Tomorrow (Friday) I will be making the most of the day off work and will be out investigating them all.

 

In the meantime I need to tell you about two new Little Owl sites that I have located this week, sites No 228 and 229.

 

Site No 228 was a real opportunist find, driving past an old barn and an adjacent pile of hay bales it looked really owly, my initial instinct paid dividends when a pair were located that showed really well. I had to sit in the car for an age before they came close enough for an image, but I was rewarded with some fine views and some very saucy activities!

 

The light was in totally the wrong direction for good photography, but I had to make do with what I was presented with and made the most of it. 

 



Little Owls mating, a very rare encounter indeed!

Finding site No 228 was very pleasing indeed, but within half an hour another new site was located, No 229.  I will do another post and publish some images from this latest location very shortly................

Micro Climate

Oh look what I chanced upon this evening, it was hunting along the grassy verge of a quiet lane that is boarded with unusually high hedgerows. These birds aren't daft, the high hedge had kept the verges relatively free of snow whilst also offering a bit of relief from the harsh cutting wind.

 

I am not sure whether this is a new bird or not?  It was located midway between two other known Barn Owl sites, both about a mile away in opposite directions. I quickly pulled up and my luck was in as it continued to fly towards me, as it came along side it dived head first into the snow. I inched the car forward so as to see it over the verge and grabbed a couple of shots.  The conditions were terrible, taken at 6.29pm and very dark, I had to use a high ISO to get any acceptable shutter speed, hence the grainy effect!

 

Barn Owl - New or Old???

If I get the chance tomorrow evening I will visit this little "micro climate" again, that is if the snow is still about and the wind is still blowing, blimey never thought I'd hear myself wish for such atrocious conditions to continue!!!

An hour in the snow.

I didn't get out of the house until very late today, I kept getting the urge but every time I looked out of the window I thought what the hell I'm staying in the warmth! I don't normally bother about the cold but my tip out with Col yesterday was still fresh in my mind, I still don't think that I'm fully thawed out even now!

 

I'd been thinking all day about the trophy cam that I set up yesterday at a local Barn Owl site. It was the first time that I'd used it and I was dying to see if it had captured the Barn Owl going in and out of the box. So late afternoon I found myself looking out of the window yet again, it was 3.30pm and the sun had just broken from behind the horrid grey clouds.  It was more of a draw than I could resist, I decided a quick trip out to collect the cam would do no harm.

 

I drove up the private road towards the barn and as I pulled up I accidentally flushed out a Little Owl from within a pen holding some new born lambs. I think it must have been appreciating the relative shelter that the corrugated walls offered. It flew up and landed on top of one of the farmers tractors, it was being blown all over the place and fought constantly to keep its balance in the howling wind. But I was prepared as my camera was already set up next to me on the passenger seat.

 

My encounter with the owl at my site No 10 lasted all of 2 minutes, but it was time enough for me to grab a few shots as it sought some shelter.     

 

He then flew up and landed on the side of the barn roof that offered quite an unusual shot.

I anticipated he was about to fly, I quickly pre-focused on the roof about 2 foot in front of him and managed to capture this shot below. 

 

All too quickly he disappeared out of sight, I wasn't going to hang around and wait for its return as it was bloody freezing with the car window wound down! So I carried on to the barn to collect the trophy cam. On the return journey I slowed right down to see if the owl was showing again, and he was and his mate was with him! They were both on the roof of one of the barns sheltering out of the wind, they were distant and the image below is a massive crop, but nice to capture them amongst the snow.

 

Once I got back I checked out the trophy cam, sadly nothing was captured of the Barn Owl, but that's not to say its not using the nest box, more like I didn't set it up properly!

Come rain or shine!

Earlier today Col and I were out again putting up yet more owl boxes. Now when the weather is as bad as it was this morning the best option surely is to stay at home? But oh no not us, we'd agreed earlier in the week that no matter how bad the conditions we were going to brave them. And as we thought the weather did turn out to be flipping awful, bitterly cold and sideways snow but we stuck to our guns and committed ourselves to the cause.........I think now somebody needs to seriously question our sanity!

 

Anyhow, after a bit of networking and meeting more very amenable local landowners permission was granted for the erection of the first box in a private barn (or hovel as it is locally known). If the conditions weren't enough for us to battle against we came upon another challenge almost immediately. Inside the barn it was flooded, eight inches of dirty sleety water mixed in with algae and cow poo! Neither of us fancied wading through that lot, especially as we both had the most inadequate of footwear on! As we pondered what to do it looked like a quick game of paper, scissors and stones was going to decide who the unfortunate one was going to be to risk the quagmire. But then I had a very rare moment if inspiration! I could reverse the Landrover into the barn and we could climb up onto the bonnet and then the roof, this would then put us at just the right level to secure the box. So that is what we did!!!

 

Landie in the barn.

 

We didn't have a lot of room to manoeuvre and the landie roof was very slippy but we got the job done.

 

Col with the new box in position.

We have high expectations for this box as a Barn Owl has been seen recently in the vicinity. I just hope all this effort will be worth it in the long run?

 

Box to let, come on owls!

The second box we put up was for Little Owls, this design is a relatively new one for us and only the second of this type we've put up. We will just have to wait and see if it is to the owls liking?

 

The new box and Col sporting his spiderman gloves!

We had done well for time with the box erecting, yes our hands were numb and noses glowing bright red but hey we didn't care! We then moved on to check out three Barn Owl boxes that were erected in barns near to where we were back in 2011, and did we get some great results!!

 

At the first box we chanced upon a roosting Bird in the barn, yeeeeees get in there site No 16!!! At the second site we again located another Barnie sheltering out of the blizzard, this was not a new site though as I'd saw a bird here back in January although it was good to see it was still about and using the box. And the third and final box we checked out another Barnie was located roosting in the rafters, and that was another yeeeeeeeeees at it too was another new site, get in there site No 17! 

 

The final task of the day before we could get back and have a very welcome cup of tea was to set up the "Bushnell Trophy Cam". This is a brilliant bit of kit that my mate Adie has very generously lent me. It is a movement sensing camera/video recorder, and as can be seen in the image below I positioned it up high in the rafters of a barn facing one of our boxes. I have seen a Barn Owl in this building before but I am not sure whether or not it is using the box?

 

Rid - positioning the camera.

Weather and time allowing I will return to collect the Trophy Cam tomorrow and fingers crossed I will have captured some footage of the owl, and maybe confirmation that it is using the box.......................more of that later folks!