I left my last blog update with the entry of a beautiful
Barn Owl, since that visit to a new site; I have found my self there nearly
every night. Not only one Owl but number up to four, with sightings of Long
Eared Owls and a few whispers of Short Eared Owls around that area too. Seems
to be an amazing year for owls, with sightings of different species not too far
part up and down the North East coast. My little trips have become routine, I
think I might have fell in love with Owls a little too much, even started
dreaming about the silent hunters. But how can you not, when a creature I find
so mesmerising and majestic to watch. Sightings are so close, at times you
could just reach, grab and pet., you might be minus a few fingers and clawed to
death,, but sometimes it is possible. From driving up the road, the barn owl
can be seen gliding from field to field, scowering the land for a meal, and returning
to the barn with successful finds, and not but a mile up form the road another
pair can be seen. The later night trips out seem to be easier for me to handle,
my body doesn’t seem to complain as much with a 8 at night start. I have
struggled with an early morning outing, I need to invest in an alarm clock with
no snooze button, I think I might have ran out of fingers on my hands to say
the “I can count on these hands how many times ive slept in”. Even though I
tell my self every night “ I will get up early, I will get up early”, I just
cant do it. That might show lack of dedication, but thats not the case, half the time i don't know I'm pressing snooze, when i go to sleep, i must turn into Jekyl or Hyde?
The evening shots are great, but the time is limited with
the sun setting, there is only so much time you can spend before the ISO is
boosted and the images are as grainy as sand, the owls normal time to come out
and play don’t seem to want to match with the light needed to get a great shot.
At times I just go out just to watch, and others I just wish I managed the
morning so the light was on my side, but its great to see them doing so well.
Although I have not seen any fledglings of owlets yet, I am hopeful since a
pair seems to taking a lot of food back to the barns. However talking to a few
people, the Owls should be up and ready about now since the breeding happens
earlier in the year. Stories have been told of a few pair with owlets, but like
I say, nothing to be seen yet. Form the Barn Owls, however a successful pair of
Long Eared owls have just parted with their newly ringed owlets, which again
boosts the anticipation for a great year for owls, and the majority of
migrating owls staying put.
Having watched them for a few nights I decided to try and
break the routine and head back to my patch and check on how the Fox den was
doing, Not very much activity, but then again I have not exactly sussed out
their timings and the usual times they decide to leave the den, apart form one
cub who likes to bask in the light in a secluded spot. So a much needed hide
has just purchased, which I’m hoping to set up once delivery has been taken, and
then a purchase of a camera trap which will have to wait a while longer, since
the pockets have seemed to stop stretching (there’s only so much stretching you
can do you have enough space to park a double decker bus). But I am pleased that they seem to enjoying
them selves around that area. My only concern is for the two-legged rats that
walk around with their dogs. Some peoples thoughts on wildlife, is how to kill
it, I don’t seem to understand how people can watch in satisfaction whilst
their pets rip shreds out of other animals, obviously not right in the head.
Anyway….
after quite little chat with my self, I made my self get up early one morning,
it was painful, but the tiresome efforts of trying to get good shots at night
was leaving me restless, and the determination to get a half decent shot was
making me feel like I needed to get up.
So it was half two in the morning, and I decided to go to sleep, (this
probably answers the question on why I cant get up, but hey ho) and the alarm
rand at 5am, I have to admit a small snooze of ten mins happened, but after
that a give my face a few slaps and sat up right trying to peel my eye lids apart.
I could feel myself drifting back to sleep, so turned the mac on, wacked in the
hard drive, and played a movie to entertain my eyes in to waking up. Was
pleased I did it in away, watched a great film called The Big Miracle, amazing
film about 3 gray whales tapped in ice around Alaska. A must for any wildlife
enthusiast. So the half the film was
watched, and I was up ready and camera over my shoulder. Upon arrival to the
site, a sighting of the cuckoo I seen
the previous night, was sighted in
exactly the same spot, and then not only a few seconds later, two barn owls
hovering different parts of the march ponds. With what seemed like more time on
their hands, the barn owls tended to spent the majority of their time of the
odd fence post, but not any where near the hide that I was sitting in, of
course the hide located across the filed was perfect for any kind of shot, it
even got the point where I think you could have managed a macro shot. However I
waited, and waited, telling my self that my luck would come and soon enough I
would be leaving to drive home with a jam packed memory card and a huge smile
on my face. After what seemed to be a lifetime
of waiting, they began to move, post by post, until literally I don’t think
they could have got any closer to me. At this point I don’t think my cameras shutter
button was pressed so hard in I’m surprised I didn’t push t through to the
bottom of the camera. Frantic to get a great shot, I continued to press until I
think the cameras processing speeds started to give up. At this point the barn owl was growing
restless of that spot, and up he rose, circled a bit then something must have
caught its eye, it hovered up, then dived with talons fully extended. An
amazing sighting to watch and to watch so close was even better. Although the
catch was unsuccessful, it wasn’t long before tits talons were fully grasping
food ready to be taken back to the nest
Nice shots....well done for the early start - I know first hand it can be a killer, but it's often so worth it. I have had better opportunities in the mornings than the evenings.
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