Local Cranes

 

Barn Owl in the wind

Been windy last few days and only one Barn Owl was out, in a territory that usually has three birds hunting. Although not that windy this evening, still seemed either to stop this male from catching much. Goes to show how much the weather impacts this birds. 
 

Backlight Barn Owl

 

Day hunting LEO

I've been watching local Long-eared Owls for around twenty years now. They are still mythical to me. They breed and winter just a few miles from my house, and my encounters have been endless. Each one more special than the last, yet I have never been one of those to have seen a day hunting adult Long-eared Owl... until today! 

We watched this bird for over two hours. The bird had an afternoon nap in the open, which was pretty special. Then when the weather turned to overcast, it started to hunt and we watched it catch several prey. Views, at times, were point blank, but genuinely, the more distant views of the bird, hunting ditches, were the best. It was a true first and something very special. And, just a few miles from our house!

More Barn Owl highlights

With the settled weather continuing, the Barn Owls continued to show well on Valentine's early evening. 

Valentine's Owls

I have seen lots of Kestrels, when driving around this winter, indicating a good season for rodents and alike. And if it's good for Kestrels, chances are it's good for Owls! As ever. February is a great month to see Owls around us and the Barn Owls have been putting up on a show. 

Seems like there are a lot of shrews around, judging by the catch rate of these owls.

Blast from the Past- Arctic Redpoll

 Arctic Redpoll from Varanger, Norway in June 2012. One of my all time favourite photos I have taken.

Patch Fire

When news reached me and a few others, yesterday afternoon, of a convincing description of a Red-flanked Bluetail at Deepings Lakes, found on Tuesday by visiting birders (on holiday from Devon!), I was sceptical. Mostly, I confess because I didn't want to have missed out on the rarest bird ever to have been found on my patch. 

The re-finding was all a little surreal, with Paul Bolton and Mike Weedon hearing it and then John Pegdon and myself hearing it some distance from where Paul and Mike had heard it. We all convinced ourselves, we hadn't heard it. But thankfully Paul persevered and re-found it where him and Mike had heard it originally. 

Here it showed exceptionally well, completely fearless of us and at one point fed right next to me. Bonkers- I've seen plenty in the UK and none have shown as well as this one! 

It continued to be harassed by Robins and moved onto to where John and I heard it. Clearly part of a circuit, it was at this point it got harder to follow, and I needed to get back to work. It wasn't seen again after I left which seems mad, considering how well it showed once we found it.

This is my 141st species I have seen at Deeping Lakes this year, a meaningless total for everyone, but a personal best for a year on my patch. It's also my 250th species in the PBC area, ever! 

Kes

 

Otters again

The family of Otters showed well again this morning. At one point, one of them swam into the river bank I was on and ate a fish just six feet away. I didn't dare move so no photos, only memories. They aren't the easiest of Otters to photograph but as usual with Otters, each experience is different.

Patch Otter