AT LAST A TRIP OUT, I HAVE A REPRIEVE BUT KEEPING AWAY  FROM PEOPLE, AND AN UPDATE ON THE BARN OWLS.

I decided to have trip out on Thursday the 25 th of June, with a wish to see an Osprey , Eyebrook Reservoir with its nest site being within a few miles being favourite, I decided  against Rutland Water as I felt sure more people would be visiting, so I got underway and arrived for about 13.00 hrs, I had a quick drive around the Reservoir and saw an Osprey over the area near the dam but too far away for a decent image so I headed for my usual parking spot opposite Stoke Dry and settled for my lunch on the basis when the male returned to his nest, he should pass me , as I had my lunch I was watching numerous Common Terns flying about and returning to the Tern raft with food for the young, so after lunch I decided to have a go at getting some images, very difficult, they are all over the place, but my efforts are below.

Common Tern, Opposite Stoke Dry.

One second they are flying low to the water,

The next they are twenty metres in the air, difficult to follow.

Tern Raft, Opposite Stoke Dry,
As you can see, large numbers of birds are actually on the raft behind the Perspex. During one of our Winter storms the other raft was washed ashore  and is unusable this year, this has also meant the Terns have used the Raft, no signs of Black Headed Gulls as last year they took over  large sections of both Rafts.

Adult Feeding an advanced youngster on a corner post.

Goldfinch, Opposite Stoke Dry.

Suddenly landed on this post not far from me so i had to get an image. 

Red Kite, Opposite Stoke Dry.

I had just taken the kit from the tripod when this bird appeared so it was hand hold and go for it.

I find these to be exceptional birds to photograph, super head and eye. 

Male Osprey 03/09, Over Stoke Dry.

Whwb he eventually appeared he was on the far side of the reservoir near to the village, about 650 metres away, I looked at all his previous hiding trees buy to no avail. 

Poor images due to distance.

Osprey Nest Site O, about four miles from Eyebrook.

The gateway i took tese images from is 1100 metres from the nest so no danger of disturbing the birds.

The female on the nest that is thought to be an unringed Scottish bird, withe the bins I could see two young in the centre of the nest, these are considerably smaller than the Manton bay Young as these adult arrived nearly three weeks later.

AN UPDATE ON THE BARN OWLS.

David Gascoigne in his comment on my last post described the birds as mysterious, they are certainly a mystery to me this year.  David is the only person that comments on my posts that has visited and seen an Owl, he came with Richard and sat out  for not that long when I think it was a female came out of the small box, had a stretch and then flew away.  He and Miriam then visited the following morning for a look about in daylight and a cup of tea. I believe after having Barn Owls on our land for nineteen years I have gained a reasonable knowledge on the birds,  has an element of complacency crept in, Barn Owls do what Barn Owls do,the BTO obviously have sufficient trust in me to issue me a schedule  1 licence but nature has a way of kicking you up the backside and saying "WATCH AND LEARN" so that's what I've been doing . the results are in the following images that will

ll explain and I will rest my bruised backside. 

Male Barn Owl, Large Box.
first sighting 20th June 21.12 hrs. 

Jut a little farther out then he flew round to his favourite post.

He sat here for a few minutes watching the world go by .

Then just before I took this image another Barn owl flew from left to right past the box and above it, I think this was a female. About 21.20 hrs

Th

About three minutes later this bird flew back and landed on the front of the box and entered the box very quickly 

This time he saw the bird and immediately went down to investigate

And went immediately into the box. I got out of my hide to see what was happening. If it had been another male all hell would have broke out, but all staid quite , so it must have been a female.

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He then came back out of the box again. 

Walked to the end of the platform. 

And flew back up onto his post. 

Sat for a few minutes then flew away and went away to return in under five minutes with a mouse and went back into the biox for approx ten minutes before flying away again.

WHATS GOING ON?????

Male Barn Owl , large box.

This time 21.25 hrs and getting ready to leave 24th of June. 

After this he flew away,to go hunting, I unfortunately just checked my images just taken to check the quality, klooked up and another male came out of the small box and flew away. after a short time a male returned with a mouse and went into the large box.

I GIVE UP!!!, BUT WILL CONSIDER ANY EXPLANATIONS.

Thank you for the visit, Ihope you have enjoyed it as much as I have in getting the images, and yes even the Barn Owls even if confusing.

n

ANOTHER BARN OWL POST  MOSTLY ON THE POST,

As I still have not ventured out into the big outside world on a birding trip as yet, staying in our enclosed section of the world and safety with this Covid 19 still being rampant in our area of Britain, our politicians still keep giving in to shops and industry to open up thereby allowing this virus to keep spreading, so you've got another Barn Owl Post, I am still totally unsure as to what is going on with these birds, I still occasionally see two birds but only a fleeting glance, have we got two males??,  a male and a female, hopefully.

I still venture out most nights onto my hide but we have had some awful weather  of late with several severe thunder storms  which have also stopped the owls getting out as well as me, hopefully tonight [ the 19 th] is supposed to be dry . as it was this morning when it did nothing but pour with rain so its a case of maybe. Our male appears every night when I have been out and returns after a short time with a mouse or vole which is a positive sign.
All the Barn Owl images are taken at very high ISO so please make an allowance  for this, an d also the distance away from the box,
I am out to monitor the birds, not disturb them.

Male Kestrel, Our Garden.

This bird still visits on a regular basis, he is a considerable distance away over the tops of the trees  to the back of our land.

He hovered around for several minutes then dived out of view behind the trees. We have unfortunately not seen the Peregrine Falcons for a couple of days, when I do the camera is never handy. 

Male Barn Owl.
First sight of him this evening,21.10 hrs, he must have laid in!!.
 

He then flew round the side of the box to his favourite post.

And we then sit and watch the world go by for a few minutes, and ponder as to what to do next.

Is it me or sitting on this post that has this effect on him?

He can concentrate  at he job on hand with that off his mind.

He appears to have something spotted but what ever it is can be seen too later.

The previous exertions appear to have been  a little much to we have to have a quick nap.

then its back down onto the front of the box.

 Then after all this a quick look of "  Look how handsome I am" then away into the box for  a few minutes  before re - emerging to go away hunting.

At last he is getting ready too go hunting , it's 22.25 hrs  and no food.

He has returned from hunting with a mouse and been in the box, he then came back out and had a shake about before going away again.

Last little shake and then he was away, and so was I back into the house.

RNGING THE MANTON BAY YOUNG OSPREYS.

They all have a shiny new BTO ring, only really visible on 83,  and the blue Rutland Water  recognition ring, these being 80/ 81/ 82 & 83. All four young are Males which means they will more than likely  return to Rutland  where its the females that tend to wander more to other sites.

Thank you for your visit, I hope you have found it as interesting as I find it confusing.