Owl rescue

I’m lucky to have access to an out of bounds area of my local nature reserve with permission from the warden so I took a walk out on Wednesday evening to look for the barn owls. When I got within a 100yrd of the nest box I noticed lots of jackdaws swooping around the area of the box so I knew something was not quite right, as I was stood under the box I heard a “clicking” sound behind me and after a bit of a search I found a Tawny owl chick hiding in the grass looking cold and shaking.

Even the most heartless of people could not have walked away from the little bundle of fluff, my walking jacket has a zip off hood so I popped the owl in and I got on the phone to the warden and he came to get the ladders out so we could get it back in the box.

Here she is sat in my jacket hood.

Update 23/5/12

I must of got some good Karma from the baby owl on the 16/5/12, 7 days later and on my next trip out i came across this adult sat in the early morning sun.

I'm missing the Barn Owls

Got a severe case of cabin fever at the moment, i only have to think about going out with the camera and it starts chucking it down with rain and this is prime Barn Owl time to make it even worse.
This is a few of my fav's but it's not all about getting photo's, fantastic birds to watch and i've spent a lot of time doing just that and you do need the right conditions for these to hunt in front of the lens.


First one is from a site high up on the Yorkshire dales that you wouldn't say is the best environment or most likely place to find them because it's a bleak place even in summer, this one lives in a barn just across the road from it's hunting barn and takes food back to the nest.

Next up is a great area for birds of prey and just out side of York, 3 Barn Owls are in the area along with Kestrels, Little Owls and this year held 5-6 Short Eared Owls for most of the winter but these have now migrated back to Scandinavia.


The owls seem to be a bit more relaxed here and it doesn't matter how much i think i'm hidden away in the hedge they always know i'm there and come for a look before hunting.

I have had them too close for focussing on and that can get annoying.

The resident Kestrels are always on the look out for a easy meal and will hassle the owls for food.

We starred each other out for a while but the Barn Owl is tolerant of human presence if you sit quite.

Another site is close to me but see's a lot of dog walkers and pheasant shooters in the area so these birds keep a low profile and come out at the last light and do not show very often in the daylight.
First shot is the one that got me hooked on Barn Owls, the light was just right on a early March afternoon at about 3.30pm when it came in front of the hide with a golden reed bed for a background.

I put a lot of time in at this location often staying well into dark just trying to work out the flight paths and hunting zones.

So fingers crossed that the weather will break soon and let me get back out to spend some quality time with one of Britain's finest birds of prey.

Mud glorious mud !!!

You can't beat lying down in the mud waiting for a couple of birds to come along and brighten up a dull day.
These are from Staveley nature reserve.


Juvenile female Whinchat

I had to wait a while for this Male Wheatear to get in just the right spot with the light on him.

Made a nice change to get some sun even if it was just a couple of hours.

Marazion marshes

Had a little trip out too Marazion marshes with the original Bird Man (my Dad), not the best for birds but the sun came out so it made a nice change.
This Heron wouldn't leave me alone and came to check me out.

Even birds have bad hair days

Sedge warbler was singing it's heart out in the brambles

Best birds were the flock of 15-20 Wimbrel

Quiet for this time of year and so are lots of other places but spending some time with my Dad made up for the lack of birds.