The apprentice.

Like most 14 year old boys of today they love their fast cars, gaming systems and are just starting to show an interest in beer and girls! My brothers son Sam is no different, he is a typical lad of today but he also loves the Army and that is where our interests collide. No he isn't bothered about birds and owls but he does like my Landrover!

Sam Riddle - A typical 14 year old boy!

Sam stayed over at our house on Sunday night after a party and we came to an agreement/action plan for the Monday. I was due to go out and check a few owl boxes and as going up and down ladders is a main requisite for the job, but it shouldn't be done alone! So Sam reluctantly agreed to accompany me and help and in return I was going to allow him a ride in my beloved Landrover.

We set off to one of my favourite owling locations not far from South Wigston, I chose this area as I hadn't been there for a while and a visit was well overdue. It is a privately owned complex of 4 or 5 huge fields and Sam could have a drive (although he didn't know it at the time) of the Landrover in complete safety........that is if I allowed him!

On route Sam mentioned that he was hungry and thirsty, this I couldn't understand as he'd only just had his breakfast but reluctantly I pulled over and loaded up with fizzy pop and chocolate. He'd got no idea at the time that he WAS going to earn that "boys breakfast". As we pulled up at the closed gate Sam soon realised he wasn't just there for the ride, he was going to be the gate opener for the day (a tough job that many a better man before him had failed!). He completed his first job without any moaning or whinging, mmmmmmm a good start I thought!

Once we were in the fields I pulled up and gave him a five minute introduction to Little Owls. He did seem slightly interested (nodding at the right times, good boy!) as he swigged his pop. I briefed him on what we were looking for and that we were going to drive very slowly up and down a line of old Willow Trees. I decided that to keep him keen and enthusiastic I should try and use "army terminology" when ever possible. So Sam was appointed as "chief lookout" and he eagerly took on his role and grabbed the binoculars.

We'd only covered a hundred yards when Private Riddle spotted the "enemy" hiding in a bush, it must be an ambush uncle Paul!! He'd done a fine reconnaissance job and was well on his way to earning his stripes. There 50 yards from us was a Little Owl, it was perched up low down in the hedgerow, its distinctive silhouette giving it away.

I was really pleased to see this particular owl (site No 105) as its usual nest site had been completely wrecked during the winter storms. If it was still going to be around I suspected it would have relocated to the Willows, and it had! We drove very slowly to the other side of the hedgerow as the light was much better on that side. Sam kept the owl in view the best he could and directed me into its rough location. Here we parked up and erected the camouflage nets up at the windows, goodness knows what what going through Sam's mind but he was "playing along". 

We spent the next hour parked up and eventually the owl came close enough for me to grab some shots. 

It wasn't long before Sam started to yawn, I knew he would tire of this boring activity that his uncle pursues so passionately. So we moved away from the owl into a clearing in the field  (away from any trees) and Sam was over the moon when I gave him a "crash course" in changing gears, clutch control etc.

  

And the lad picked it all up pretty dam quick and he couldn't believe it when I told him he could have a drive. He was soon bombing around the field all on his own whilst I grabbed a few shots for the family photo album as he whizzed past.

We did check out some boxes later in the day and one of my boxes was found to have a pair of Barn Owls roosting in it, (yes a nice surprise!) but more about them at a later date. I think Sam has now got the bug for driving the Landrover, I am sure that it will be arranged again for him to have another go but that will be when he has perfected opening more gates and ladder carrying!!

SHOWCASE - SITE No 105

Although over the years I have been lucky enough to have made thousands of Little Owl sighting across hundreds of different locations this site that Sam and I were at is definitely one of my favourites. I am so pleased the owls are still here and this prompted me to look back through my archives of previous images that I have taken over the years from this site. For this reason (and the fact that there is not a lot else happening at the moment) I have decided to showcase a few of my more memorable images from this site.

  

 

 

And finally this last image ranks up there in my top ten of Little Owl images that I have ever taken. 

That's all for now folks, thanks for stopping by and all being well I'll be back soon....................

Catching Up, two new sites......

My apologies (again) for the lack of recent posts, images and replies to comments that you good folk have left me. This enforced hibernation period isn't because I am still in a "lazy can't be bothered mode" or even from a lack of interest on my behalf. Actually I have been going out but just not able to update this website because of some conflict between Blogger and Internet explorer 9. I haven't changed any of my settings so why I have been having so many problems with various different aspects of it I just don't know??

Anyway, after hours of pulling my hair out and very nearly throwing my PC out of the window I think it is all now back up and running. I have had to resort to changing my web browser over from Internet Explorer to Firefox, certainly different and the jury is still out at the moment on whether or not I like it, but at least it has got me back up and running. To be fair there is not normally much to post about at this time of year anyway as it tends to be very quiet whilst all the owls are incubating their eggs. The lull will soon be over though when the frenzy of feeding starts and with a bit of luck and good weather some excellent viewing will be on the cards.

During the last week or so I have ventured out on a number of occasions, mostly checking on breeding sites/boxes. And whilst out I have stumbled across two new Little Owl sites bringing the overall tally to 233.

The first of the new sites was actually a referral from one of my mates, we were down the pub having a few beers when he casually dropped it out about a sighting he made a few years ago. I drilled him for as much info as I could and the next evening I went off to investigate. His memory was pretty good too as almost everything he could remember about the location was bang on! And he remembered the nest tree was on a busy road, which made it very dodgy to check out let alone get an image.

I did a couple of slowish drive passes of the tree and amazingly there catching the late evening sun was a pair of Little Owls. The only plan I could muster up was to get all the camera gear ready and to have the passenger window open. I then did another drive by at the pace the volume of traffic dictated, I then stopped  for a matter of seconds and my "record" shot was grabbed much to the annoyance of the irate driver behind me!

Little Owl Site No 232

The second of my new sites was a real chance encounter, I was cruising along the back lanes in between two different known sites. I slowed up for a passing horse rider and whilst waiting for the attractive young lady to trot past me I was giving an "owly" looking tree the once over (a few years ago my eyes wouldn't have moved off the horsewoman, ya can't beat a nice pair of jodhpurs!) anyway there in the tree looking straight back at me was a Little Owl! 

I was soon parked up with my camo netting at the window and got some nice views of the bird. The light levels were good but not from a favourable direction, an early morning site this one!

The owl then started to call frantically, this confirmed to me that I was observing a male bird. Another owl could be heard calling too but I wasn't able to locate where it was? 

I predicted that it was about to take off, so I quickly pre-focused on a small branch a little nearer to me and then switched over to manual focus, my aim was to capture it coming at me head on in flight.

I have tried this method on many occasions and it usually ends up with the image being a load of rubbish and then deleted. The depth of field where the birds eyes are in focus is so narrow (literally millimetres) even with increasing the F stop it is still very rare to get a "usable" result.

After taking flight he then posed on a couple of different perches before going up higher in the tree where he was joined by his mate.

 

 

A super encounter and I'm sure some improved images will be attained on my next visit which will be on a bright sunny morning.

50% occupancy...........

I must apologise for the lack of posts recently, I'm slowly getting back into it and I'm sure things will soon be back as they use to be..........???

During the weekend I did make an effort and went out checking for any signs of Little Owl breeding activity with my mate Col Green. In total we checked out 12 boxes and of these we found Little Owl activity in six of them with clutch sizes ranging from one to four eggs. Now I suppose 50% is a pretty good return when one considers that Jackdaws, Great Tits and Squirrels are all partial to using them too! 

 

One of the first boxes we checked out was deffo a "no hoper", it is perched precariously on the top of a very decayed Ash tree and very very rotten.  It was put up nearly four years ago and because we haven't been able to persuade the owls to vacate the Ash tree and move into it so its just been left. But because we were passing we stopped off to check it out........just in case? I went up the ladder and to my utter surprise when I opened up the door both owls were inside along with three eggs!! Unfortunately we didn't take any record images here as the tree was far too high and no branches to hang onto whilst taking an image, its just not worth the risk!

 

The next box was far easier to check out as it is only four feet from the ground! It has been used now during the last three consecutive years so we had very high hopes here. Col can be seen here posing prior to me getting in the ditch and checking it out.

 

 

Upon opening the door I was confronted with what looked like a very angry hen owl, I don't think she was too pleased to see us? Unperturbed though she just sat there giving us "the stare".

 

 

After a wee bit of encouragement she moved to the back of the box and her pride and joy was revealed. One egg and two chicks along with a dead Shrew in her larder.

 

 

After a couple of quick record shots were taken we left her alone and departed.

 

Not such good news at the next box, although the ladder wasn't quite long enough to get all the way up to the box (we left the third piece at home) Col was still able to open the door at arms reach. Dam and blast something other than an owl had taken up occupancy because I could see that it was full of nesting material.

 

 

We know that there was no owl in there as they do NOT use nesting material, such a shame as only two months ago I witnessed a pair of Little Owls coming and going from this box.

 

It wasn't good news at the next two boxes either, although very rotten this box had three well developed Starling chicks in it. The parents had gained entry through a hole in the roof! We have since learnt our lesson on how best to protect the boxes from the elements and all will be revealed later.

 

 

The disappointment at the next box wasn't that it had rotted away through poor location or bad timber protection but the fact that ivy had virtually smothered it to death. I cleared it all out of the way and it now awaits its first owl.

 

 

I was volunteered by Col to go up to the next box, a pretty tatty box again that had never before seen any previous owl activity. Because we forgot the third piece of the ladder I had to stretch to reach the door, and to make matters even more awkward this door had been screwed rather than using a catch. After opening up the door I was very surprised to see a pair of owls inside guarding a single egg! We are hoping that they have just started their clutch so a re-visit will be on the cards soon.

 

 

Whilst out we went and checked on a relatively new box that was only but up towards the end of last year. And it was more good news here, a pair had obviously found it and it must have been to their liking as the hen owl was inside with her precious four eggs. What a result get in there!!!

 

 

Our final task of the day was to erect another new box, and I had just the perfect location. No owls are present here at the moment, well not to my knowledge there isn't? A super quiet setting that I am hoping this time next year the box will be fully occupied and brimming full with owlets. This box is encompassing our new design, a slate roof. Both Col and I are convinced that if we can protect the roof from the elements they will last for years to come.

 

 

The next batch of boxes are to be checked this coming weekend (time allowing) and if we can have the same level of results as on this day it is going to be a bumper breeding season.

I've returned!!!!!

Since getting back from my break in Spain getting out and about has been bit of a premium, and to be honest I just couldn't be bothered! I have fell into a bit of a rut of not going out in the evenings, strange really as the light is better and more time is obviously available. I know from previous years that there is a bit of a lull in activity with the owls just before, and at the start of the breeding season, then BANG there is activity all over the place. So I suppose I am in a sort of limbo waiting for the explosion of activity to start.

 

So when I had a call from my buddy Carl telling me of a location where he had stumbled upon a Fox's den with four cubs I was semi-woken from my period of recent slumber.  I nearly didn't bother going though as when I went to gather up all my camera gear it was all still packed away from when I went to Spain. But he had stirred me into life and I made the effort and went to investigate.

 

I found the location without any problem and it was just as Carl had described. I parked up parallel the the wooden gate and waited. Carl said the cubs came very close to him on his last visit and managed a few shots of them through the gaps in the gate. I'd been quietly waiting for around half an hour and nothing had been seen apart from a pair of Long Tailed Tits that were busy feeding in the nearby bushes.

 

Previously when I have seen Foxes out in the wild I have successfully "squeaked" them nearer by making a noise with my puckered lips, a trick that I learnt from an old gamekeeper! I think that the Fox believes it is an animal in distress and maybe an easy meal is on the cards. So I'd got nothing to lose and tried it, and it worked very well but it didn't attract a my intended quarry???

 

Initially I'd given up "squeaking" as it was making my lips sore, but my attentions were drawn to the previously seen Long Tailed Tits, they were now frantically calling and fluttering around, something had disturbed them?

 

I was watching the far side of the gate but no Fox could be seen, I then noticed a movement low down to the left and there staring back at me was a Little Owl!!! 

 

   

My squeaking had obviously attracted the owl, he couldn't see me as I was behind my camo scrim. I managed the above image just before he flew off down the nearby track. Superb, a new Little Owl site No 231! 

 

I gave it a couple of minutes and tried the squeak again, but this time it didn't return, the owl was too clever to be fooled a second time! I then settled back down and waited for one of the Fox cubs to show. I guess another 30 minutes had passed when I was alerted to the alarm calls of the Long Tailed Tits, I looked up and there on top of the gate was the owl, he had returned! 

 

 

He was staring straight at me, I was now making no noise apart from the camera shutter rattling away. He then nonchalantly turned away and watched the Long Tailed Tits, he then flew to a nearby bush and disappeared inside it. The Tits were now going mental, it was at this point that it dawned on me that I'd never attracted him with my squeaking at all, it was the Tits he was after all the time. I think he was looking for their nest that must have bee deep in the bush? They hassled him so much he was soon popped back out on to the gate post.

 

 

The owl then proved his persistence and whilst doing his best to avoid the Tits went back into the bush. I could just about make him out as he moved about inside  with the Tits in close attendance. Again he popped back out empty handed but this time landed on a different and more natural looking perch.

 

 

Although I did hang around for another hour or so until the light started to fade the owl didn't return and I never did see the Foxes but I was very pleased with the resultant images of the owl.

 

Big thanks must go to Carl for firstly putting me onto this site and secondly for giving me the theoretic kick up my ass to get me back out there again!

Barn Owl cam update......

A quick update from the Barn Owl cam. As can be seen in the latest screen shot (below) the hen owl now has four eggs. She laid her forth egg a few days ago so I guess that is it for this clutch. Although not easy to see the egg furthest to the left has been damaged, slightly flat on top with what appears to be a small puncture. I can only assume it was when she was moving them about or when hubby came and and mated with her (which he does on a daily basis!).   

I fear the damaged egg will not hatch so the maximum we can expect from this clutch is 3 chicks, that is unless the male owl continues with his amorous approaches and damages any more?

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??



Add caption

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...... 

 

Nothing of note.......

Last week was cram packed full of eventful and memorable moments, since then I have hardly been out. No particular reason really, just busy with work, chores, football & table tennis.  So this morning I was raring to go but other unforeseen "things" have cropped up which meant being grounded, for now anyway!

 

I took advantage of this lull in my activities to go through a few more images from last week and whilst filing them all away in their respective folders I came across this image again, below. Originally I wasn't going to upload it to my blog as it wasn't as sharpe as I'd like it to have been and thought I'd wait for a similar but improved version. But that wait could be weeks, days even years so beings as I don't have anything else to upload I've shared it with you all. Yes I know I didn't get it all in the frame, doooogh! I'd like to say that I'd cropped it like that on purpose but I'd be telling fibs. From memory I have had 3 or 4 chances to capture a Tawny Owl as it takes flight, and I keep chopping the wings off!!

 

Anyway, I am planning a trip out this afternoon (Saturday) and hopefully I'll have a few goodies to share with you later???

As good as it gets.........

Late this afternoon/early evening it was again very mild and spring like, too good to waste sitting in home watching the telly so I dragged myself out to see my new favourite friends......The Tawny Owls. It has taken me nearly six years to find an accommodating Tawny that will show before it gets too dark, and these particular birds definitely fit that bill! Having the normal nocturnal habits that this species possess they are not!!! I'd have been quite satisfied if they were to show themselves just as dusk was falling, but they go completely against the grain and are quite willing to show even in the daytime.

 

So when I arrived today to see if they were showing I was again surprised to discover both birds were out foraging in the undergrowth on the edge of the small group of trees they call home. I didn't stop the car for fear of spooking them, instead I drove past and pulled up a safe distance away. The camera gear was prepared and then I reversed back up keeping the spinney/copse on my right hand side. The first bird was still perched up in the same spot, just a couple of metres in from the edge of the spinney. It didn't even lift its head up to take a look at me! Instead it seemed intent just to stare at the leafy undergrowth, I could only assume watching for prey? To give you a feel for the environment and how close I was to the owl this first image is full frame and taken at 300mm.

     

Then without notice it pounced down into the leafy foliage at the base of the trees. It wasn't easy to see as it was very shaded and perfectly camouflaged, I could make out that it was nearly chest deep in dead leaves and twigs. It stayed there partially hidden for a few minutes, maybe it had caught some prey?  Finally it took flight and landed on a verge side fence post, it hadn't made a kill, oh that would have been nice to see and photograph.

 

 

I then noticed the second bird fly out from the copse further down and up into one of the more mature trees that surround the area. This gave me a chance to get a shot out of the passenger window, but just as I was focusing it took flight and this image below was the result. Oh so near to nailing that perfect take off shot!!

 

 

My attentions were then quickly reverted back to the first bird but it had gone! I'd no idea as to where so I started to systematically scan the undergrowth. It was quickly re-located up high in the spinney canopy, its huge dark profile giving it away. It was then joined by the second bird, I then realised why they had so suddenly retreated, a couple of joggers were making their was towards us. My only option now was to sit back and wait for the coast to clear and then wait for the next bit of action to commence.

 

The owls sat together not moving for the next half an hour,  there was a nearby tractor making a right racket that was obviously disturbing them. Eventually silence fell upon the whole area and the owls started to rummage around in the spinney again. One of them flew over to the mature tree again but this time I was completely ignoring it as the second owl swooped down and landed in the grassy paddock area not 30 feet from where I was parked! I had never seen a Tawny Owl on the ground before, I'd no idea as to what it was doing but it gave me 10 seconds of full unobstructed views, no doubt about it my best ever Tawny experience so far, thankfully I'd got my camera with me to capture this unique activity.

 

 

Talk about being in the right place at the right time, this evening I was blessed with fantastic viewing, it was a real privilege to witness and an encounter I will never forget.

What a significant day!

Did you know that today (April 23rd) is the anniversary of the very first Little Owl nest to be found in the UK? No I didn't either! But thanks to Rob (a follower of owls about that then) sent me a link to Mark Avery's blog and a nice piece about this great day in history!!! (click here to view).

 

 

 

So a happy Little Owl day to you all!!!!!

Tawny Owl, re-visited.....

A revisit to the Tawny Owl site on Saturday resulted in some more stunning views, in good light too. For the first time a second bird was seen although I am now waiting to capture an image of it. Obviously another re-visit will be made very soon!

Its getting otter!!!

It has been a very good and really busy week, and for a variety of reasons really. We now have good light levels before AND after work which means if one can be bothered there are opportunities to be had at each end of the day, and I have taken them! I have had some superb encounters and consequently have fallen behind with posting what I have been up to and seen, so this is a brief catch up with a few accompanying images.

 

One of my work customers (who has an interest in owls) had told me on a couple of occasions that he was regally seeing a Barn Owl on his way to work. Because at the time I thought the location was nearer to my mate Richard I rang him and revealed the whereabouts, he made a visit the next morning and even though the light levels were poor he got some great results. This spurred me to make a visit myself the following morning before work. I was due to meet a supplier at 8.30am so in order to get out on location, find the owl, get some images and then return before getting ready I had to leave out early!! I set off at 5.0am and just before 6.30am the owl was finally located, but it was distant! As I hung around keeping a watchful eye on its movements the light did start to improve but then it started to rain, dooough!! My time was running out as I'd calculated that 7.00am was the latest I dare leave it before having to make my way home. At 7.10 I was still there and chancing my luck, but the tight time scales were worth it as the owl made a nearish swoop over the hedgerow and then landed on the side of it. 

 

Still at a high ISO and distant but my first images of this new bird at a new site! It was well worth the early morning start and after a quick dash back I still made my meeting on time.

 

Because the weather has improved the recent soggy ground has started to dry and now I can take the Landie into areas that possibly haven't been visited for over 7 months. One such area holds my Little Owl site No 22. Viewing of these birds (if they were still there?) is only possible from a hide (following a lengthy wait) or reasonably quickly from my Landrover. The owls here get quite use to the farm machinery going past them at a snails pace and they tend to be ignored. So I employed the slow approach in the Landie and hey ho the owls were still there! However, when I pulled up adjacent to the tree and stopped the engine they became suspicious. The pair of them were watching intently, a great time to capture an image as they both looked in my direction.  

A couple of evenings during the week have been spent looking for Barn Owls, not just for new ones but also re-visits to areas where birds have already been seen this year. In one such area I have been seeing two different birds although at the time I didn't realise it? I'd managed to capture some flight images in good light of "the bird" a few weeks ago but then on a following visit I managed another image at the same location albeit very blurred and out of focus. The strange thing was although it was a terrible image it clearly showed the bird had a ring on its left leg and it was only then that I realised there were two birds!

 

Since this incident I haven't seen an owl in this area, I was hoping that it was down to the owls reverting to their more nocturnal ways rather than anything more sinister happening! Well there was nothing to worry about, in the week I caught up with the "ringed" bird and managed my first in focus images of it. The images were taken late in the day, 8.19pm to be exact, hand held and at a very high ISO shot out of the car window. I am very please with the results considering the conditions, and this individual shouldn't be too difficult to identify in the future as it has a very "grey" colouration to its feathers on its back.

And then I come to my absolute highlight of the week, if not the year! Some of you may of thought that the heading to this post was a spelling mistake, but now you will realise differently. After years of being in the right place at the right time (or so I thought?) I'd never seen one! I've spoken to many local people who'd had an encounter so I knew they were about. I am taking about a wild Otter, I had my very first glimpse and managed a few shots of it too! t was a very brief encounter as it swan from right to left across me, it paused for a second or two under a bridge and then it was gone!! But I now have the images and the memories from this brilliant a very rare encounter.

 

That's a quick catch up folks, I guess I am going to be in for another busy "owling" weekend and if I manage to capture anything of note be assured it will soon be posted on here.

Have a great weekend all!