ANOTHER OSPREY DUTY.
AND THEN UGH!!!

Richard and myself were on Osprey duty on Thursday the 11th of May and it was Richards turn to drive so he arrived at our house for 14.30 hrs and we immediately got under way initially heading for our Little Owl sites. On our outbound journey we saw two birds at Little Owl Site No. 8 and one at Site 9. We arrived at the Lyndon Centre at 16.15 hrs and signed in for our duty and had a steady walk down to Waderscrape hide calling in at the hides on the way down.

On arrival the couple on duty got us up to date with the goings on, the male Osprey was on the 'T' post with a fish, the female was sitting on the nest and they had seen several Water Voles and a pair of Water rail. So they got underway back to the car park and we took over and to be truthful very little happened with the Ospreys, but plenty elsewhere. We had numerous Sedge Warblers, Water Voles and eventually saw a single Water rail, but I managed no image other than a mostly covered by reeds mess. Again the male dropped the fish and whilst we were on duty just spent his time between the T post and the fallen tree with the odd visit onto the nest.

On completion of our duty at 20.00 hrs we had a steady walk back to the car park and headed on our way home. We called past some of out Little Owl sites and not until site 5 did we see a bird, by this time is was nearly dark so I eventually managed to get an image even if its not that good. 

Upon getting home I started to shiver whilst getting my things out of Richards car and only when getting in home and my wife insisting on taking my temperature, I realised things were not correct, I had a temperature of 103 F {39.45 C} so no wonder I had started to feel rough.

Since this time its been several visits to the Doctors and at last I'm starting to feel a little better. sorry for all the misses in leaving comments on my friends blogs and hopefully I will soon be able to get out and get some images.

Lots have happened with the Ospreys since my last post, all four of the chicks have hatched but unfortunately two have since died, the feeling is the female stood on them, it's so sad after all that time and effort, but we still have two so lets be positive.

Sedge Warbler, Waderscrape Hide.

Delightful little bird of which we had numerous active most of our shift.

Water Vole, Waderscrape Hide.

We have never previously seen as many voles swimming to the front of the hide. we in the end totally lost count of the numbers.

This one making a dash back towards the reeds from the area to the front of the hide. 

Greylag Goose, Waderscrape Hide.

This bird flew by and you just have to try for an image.

Male Osprey 33/11

On the 'T' post with his fish just prior to dropping it again

Female Osprey leaving the eggs for a minute.

Decided to have a quick preen but only for a short time then back on duty.

Little Owl Site No.5.

This is the only Little Owl I managed to get an image of, it was virtually dark hence the rubbish quality but I was asked to put a Little Owl in my next post.

WE ARE SO LUCKY.

Even though I have not been well, it has given me more time to keep an eye on the Barn Owls and have had a really wonderful time. The previous time we had the camera on the female was sitting on six eggs. This week we have had the cameras on and we have at the last count three Owlets and two eggs hopefully still to hatch. We have again as last year had some problems with the Kestrels which was starting to concern us greatly, they were landing on the front of the box the Barn Owls were in and creating a considerable noise. This all came to a head on Sunday the 21st of May when I walked across to the boxes only to find a dead Kestrel under the box, so very sad. The only worry then was as to the health of the male Barn Owl. In the end all is well and he is supplying a regular supply of food for his youngsters.

I am just about to go out with the camera and see what time the male comes out, things will really hot up in a couple of weeks when the Owlets get larger and he has to supply considerably more food and then hopefully he will, if he follows the previous birds be out much earlier.

Follow on from last night the male came out and was only away just over two minutes when he arrived back with a mouse, quick hunting!!

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Box that is in use by the Barn Owls.

Awful image taken from the television, female sitting at this time on six eggs. The lens on the cameras could do with a good clean. This will take place whilst they young are ringed.

So very sad, the dead Kestrel under the box. But if it comes to a choice better the it being the Barn Owl.

Again an awful image, the male is on the right and the female to the left. the white blobs to the front of her are the three Owlets.

This was about 20.30 hrs and the male can be seen hiding just inside the entrance, probably catching some of the cooler air.

Eventually stuck his head out at 21.50 hrs, this taken at ISO 10,000 and at 1/6 sec so lucky to get any image at all.

All taken at high ISO so not good images, lets hope he soon starts coming out earlier.



I hope you have enjoyed your visit as much as I did in the getting of the images. Sorry for the gap in posts but this awful kidney bug has not been good.