TWO VISITS WITH THE SHORTIES.

My first visit out was on Friday the 8th of January when I had a singleton visit as Richard went out early so as to be home for mid afternoon. I left home at 11.45 hrs and set out for our normal route. We met briefly at Little Owl Site No. 5 where he told me he had seen 3 Little Owls. I visited all our normal sites and had my lunch at Site 9 but saw not a single bird, but as it was sunny but windy I made my way to Cossington Meadows and the Short Eared Owls arriving at 13.45 hrs. I had a quick walk down the site and was surprised to see floodwater in the field to the left of the track. On arrival at Swan Meadow, the gents already on site had seen nothing of the Shorties, one of the gents had been earlier in the day and seen the birds at 07.45 hrs through to 08.30 and they had not been seen since. We had this lovely sunny but cooler afternoon and no birds.

The first bird appeared at about 15.00 hrs and sat itself for a short time in a hedge about 200 metres away, a second bird when it arrived flew in over the hedge into the field, the third bird arrived at about 15.30 hrs so this bird really left it a bit late but must have had a full stomach from the mornings feeding. When I eventually left the site, it had become cloudy and the light had gone and I arrived back at the car for 16.00 hrs and got on my way home and a warm cup of tea.

My second visit out had to be on Friday the 15th of January as my wife had a visit to the doctor on the Thursday afternoon. It had to be a late start due to having a telephone and broadband check by our provider and this was booked for between 09.00 hrs and 12.00 hrs. Richard and myself kept in touch throughout the wait and in the end Richard opted to go to Caulke Park and around his local patch. The engineer eventually arrived at about 11.30 hrs, so after walking the dogs and sorting out a very quick lunch, I eventually got on my way  from home at 13.15 hrs and headed straight to Cossington Meadows, as it was somewhat late to start tracking around the Little Owl Sites. I arrived at 13.40 hrs and set off straight down the site. On arriving at Swan Meadow, no birds had been seen so I had missed nothing, and after about 30 minutes the first bird arrived and for most of the time I was on site, birds were out and about, eventually with one sitting on top of a tree up towards the entrance. For the first time we had almost continuous sun and only the odd cloudy session, it was certainly cold as the spot where I was standing was very muddy on arrival but after a short time it started to go solid with frost. I took my last image at 16.02 hrs and set away to home having had a super afternoon with the birds, to get warm as did everybody else on site.

Even though this week I have taken no images of the Robin, my little friend visited me on several occasions and had his fill of Hobnob biscuit.   

COSSINGTON MEADOWS
8 th January 2016.

Short Eared Owl.

First bird to appear and sat for a short time in this section of hedge, unfortunately a long distance away. 

 As you can see the sun was out but the birds would not co operate and come closer, this image was taken over approximately 150 metres. 

A little closer. 

And closer still. 

Then farther away with two of the birds interacting. 

All of these images are of the two darker birds. 

This is the area to the other side of the track to Swan Meadow. The double electric pylon is where I have previously got images of one of the owls sitting on a fence post. The fifth image on my last post of the bird landing on the fence post was in front of these pylons. This shows the flood water in the field. This is also the spot where I feed the Robin. 

Hawthorne Hedge Near Little Owl Site No. 9.

This hedge is all the same over a length of about 400 metres, so very early to be in leaf. 

Jay, Our Garden.

 Even though I have not posted any images of the Jays, they have been with us all summer but the area where they feed under my nut feeder is in the shade due to the leaves on the tree. They are at the moment raiding the nut feeder most of the day, and I am filling the feeder up twice a day.

COSSINGTON MEADOWS.

15 th January 2016.

Short Eared Owl.

At last a sunny day and the birds a little closer, this one was about 100 metres away so a big improvement,  unfortunately this did not last.  

Still reasonably close. 

And this image over about 80 metres, best yet. 

The bird then turned and was away into the distance in the next field. 

Third bird unfortunately a long distance shot, this being the paler of the three. 

This bird is flying down the hedgerow and suddenly turned. 

Flew towards us. 

And landed on the ground, unfortunately the ground shot is not sharp. 

 And was then up and away but with nothing caught.

It then flew at a good distance from us to the other end of the field and settled in the top of a tree.

Thank you for your visit, I hope you get as much enjoyment from these images as I have had in getting them. I must admit I am really enjoying getting these images of the Shorties even though its a challenge at the distance they are away from me.

Will get some Little Owl images and hopefully a visit into Rutland Water for the next post.