WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A MUCH IMPROVED 2021,

Firstly thank you all for the following and help and advice with the Barn Owls during 2020, and lets all hope for a much improved 2021 and we see the end of this awful Covid 19 virus. Looking back it has been a funny old year that for me was helped immensely by our Barn Owls, giving me an interest that I could  really  get involved with without having to leave home  making my life much safer sitting out of a summers evening in my hide, it makes me look forward to next summer. 

From the BTO records it was not a good year for Barn Owls, not just ours, it appears lots of pairs did not breed, I from what I can see however  only our birds got  themselves into such a  diabolical mix up, so fingers crossed for next year.

 

I am  sill on reasonable evenings seeing two male bird, one from each box, could still be more but it gets dark so early and quick.

 

 

SOME OF MY  FAVOURITES FROM 2020. 

 

 

Resident Male Barn Owl.

 I will say one thing for this male, he as far as I saw fed the female at least once every night even when she move into the small box, so I hope he stays for next year , he's proved himself as a good provider. He has a reasonable am amount of staining to the eyes.

 

 

 

 

Resident Female Barn Owl.

My personal thoughts are that she was a young bird and wasn't really sure as to what to do or what her role was, hence she took the food brought in by the male but also went out hunting herself.

 

Interloper Male 1.

With the arrival of this bird things  started  to go wrong, his eyes certainly gives an oriental appearance.

Interloper Male 2.

Similar looking male to the resident male but with very little staining to the eyes.

Tawny Owl.

Fortunately only took up residence for one day in the small box and never to be seen again.

Robin Calke Park.

Staying close to the feeders.

Red Deer Stag. Calke Park.

In comparison to some estates only a small herd is held but good to visit and see them.

Younger Stag.

Carrying damage to his Antlers from the rut.

Coal Tit, Eyebrook Reservoir.

 Numerous birds attracted to the feeders, just good to watch.

Blue Tit, Eyebrook Reservoir.

Again attracted to the feeders.

Great Tit, Eyebrook Reservoir.

Again by the feeders.

Chaffinch, Eyebrook Reservoir.

Collecting the seed dropped by the other birds from the floor.

Herring Gull, Eyebrook Reservoir.

Not a gull we see in large numbers at the reservoir.

Common Tern, Eyebrook Reservoir.

Feeding Young on Tern Raft.

Golden Eye, Swithland Reservoir.

Beautiful Duck for me only surpassed by a Smew.

Red Kite, Small village in Northamptonshire

I have been visiting these birds on a regular basis, wonderful birds to watch in flight,.

Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have in the putting the post together.