ANOTHER OSPREY DUTY AND OUR BARN OWLS FLEDGE.

How the last two weeks have flown by, and then I was back on duty with the Ospreys. This week we just had normal visitors, not a bus load of Brownies, but I must admit we both said how much we had enjoyed having them in the hide and answering all the questions fired at us. I was again on duty with Phil, who is a lovely man and is going to erect some Barn Owl Boxes on an extra section of land he has as an extension to his garden, and so good luck to him and all who nest in them.

I had left home at about 13.30 hrs as I had to collect some tablets from the vets for one of our dogs and after this I headed through a very disappointing route of Little Owl sites where non were seen, I had a chat with one of our farmer friends at site 5 who say they hear the birds most nights about midway between the original site and the farm house so we still have birds about.

I arrived at Rutland at about 15.45 hrs and after a chat with Kayleigh had a very steady walk down the site stopping at Deepwater and Tufted Duck hides. I then dropped some of my kit at Waderscrape hide and headed for Shallow Water hide as I had been told a Wood Sandpiper was about and not remembering having seen one before, I thought I would dip my bread. As a rule in these situations by the time I arrive, what ever I have gone to see has departed five minutes before I arrived. But this time was the exception and what a lovely bird it is. I saw several other birds that are shown below such as a Linnet and a Juvenile Pied Wagtail. I fact I had a most enjoyable duty and afternoon. 

We had a wonderful late afternoon and evening on duty with several visitors to see these birds before they decide to head South for warmer climes, which will come so quick, its always such a sad time when they all get under way, mind wouldn't mind joining them to get some sun and warmth. As we were leaving the hide at 20.00 hrs, a couple turned who understood we finished duty but had been told we locked the door and remained all night in the hide, they wanted to see Barn Owls, sorry we go home. 

We got underway home on time but by then it had started to rain so I had a short time just keeping an eye of the Barn Owls but from in the dry.

Walk from the Centre to Tufted Duck Hide.

Gatekeeper Butterfly {Male}

I said in my last post how I struggled with the 50 - 500 mm lens an was going to try the 600 mm lens but keeping the minimum focus distance in mind, all the next butterfly images are with the large lens and hand held with the ISO wound up to compensate for my shake and my arm sagging under the weight.

Comma Butterfly, {Male}.

Not in the best condition but for the distance away I am pleased with the end result.

Red Admiral.

Again at focus distance, perhaps should have closed down to f 14. 

TUFTED DUCK HIDE.

Little  Egret.

This bird was skirting an island at a distance of about 50 metres.  

Male Osprey fishing out from the hide.

Can see the blue ring but just cannot read the number, I'm sure it is a 10, so this bird is either 11/10 or 25/10. 

WADERSCRAPE HIDE AND OSPREY DUTY.

When we took over duty from the previous volunteers the adult male was absent, and only turned up a couple of times all through our shift, once to bring some straw for nest material, and then to bring a stick, after this he went fishing and hadn't returned by the time we finished our duty at 20.00 hrs.

The Juveniles had a real chase around the area which was started by the female for a while until it started to get a little rough then she returned to the nest and kept out of the way of these young hooligans.

Female Osprey.

She sat on the T post when we first started our duty. 

Female Osprey and Juveniles.

She sat on the T post and they are on the fallen tree to her right.

Juvenile Osprey, I think its the female 2 AN  on the right. 

Female transferred to the nest. 

And then onto the camera post. 

Juvenile female then visited the nest and then the fun began. 

Adult female started the chase. 

Followed by juvenile female. 

Juvenile male dive bombing his sister. 

And she did a spectacular turn and dive. 

And after this things quietened down a little for a while and food begging to the male commenced.

SHALLOW WATER HIDE.

I had a quick visit down to this hide as I was told a Wood Sandpiper had been seen and on arrival I thought I could see it well away to the left of the hide, I took some very distant record shots, but I was lucky that after a few minutes it flew to within about 40 metres of the hide and proved a wonderful subject and stood beautifully for me.

  

Male and Female Linnet.

At a reasonable distance away but with two strands of barb wire in the way. 

Male Linnet.

A little farther away but a clear shot this time. 

Juvenile Pied Wagtail.

Several of these youngsters about busily feeding.

Wood Sandpiper.

My highlight of the day, such a beautiful little bird. 

Such a lovely head with the white above the eye. 

Mute Swan.

Here attempting take off. 

Take off abandoned when it entered shallow water!! 

Moorhen Juvenile, Waderscrape Hide.

One of the young I saw two weeks ago and how its come on. 

OUR BARN OWLS UPDATE.

A lot has happened since the last post, all three Owlets have fledged and the flying expertise is improving, in fact last night they were flying up into the trees at the back of our land.

The first two birds fledged on Tuesday the 18th and the third bird was on the Thursday. I was so lucky to be out in the hide on the Tuesday and the young had been out on the front of the box for a while, when at about 21.50 hrs the female adult turned up and landed on the larger of the boxes and initially went inside, This was the first time I had seen an adult for over a week, she then after a few minutes appeared back on the front of the box and started to call at the young, initially she was very quiet and and then the male turned up had a fly by and landed in the trees to watch. this carried on for a while and it was getting very dark when at last the first Owlet flew onto the roof of the small box and then onto the roof of the large box.

Our box set up.

I was asked to show our boxes. They are 3.6 metres of the ground.

Male Owlet.

First out of the box, this is unusual from our previous clutches as normally its the females that are out first. With the start of his speckles, he is going to be a stunner like his father.

 Female adult emerging from the large box.

Female Adult.

First time I had seen an adult bird for about a week. She sat on the front of the box calling and encouraging the Owlets to join her. This is something I have never experienced before in all the years we have had Barn Owls breeding in our garden.

By this time it was getting very dark, this taken at ISO 12800 at 1/10 sec. Male on the right. 

All three of the Owlets. Male on the right and first to fly. Two females to the left and the far left bird did not fledge until the Thursday evening. 

Male sat on top of the box having flown, had an awful job finding the bird in the view finder and then getting the lens to focus. This taken at ISO 28200 at 1/6 sec. 

Sorry for the quality of the images but I was really fighting the light conditions but what a wonderful evening to just sit and watch this all going on.



Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed the images as much as I did in the getting of them.