Thanks to Austin Thomas for sending me some more of his shots of hunting Barn Owls from the mosses. Nice one Austin.
Austin explains: "I waited nearly an hour for the Owl to take off from this rest point and fly towards me. It had a few smash and grab attempts at catching some food but failed, each time returning to the same post..I was hoping that it would catch its prey then fly straight towards me. What actually happened was a helicopter went over and disturbed the bird and it flew away from me. Typical !"
With all the lousy weather, it's going to be tough on any Barn Owls rearing young at the moment, so if you're going to go looking for owls, or even try to get a few shots, do what Austin did, and make sure you're well away from any likely looking nesting sites.
Meanwhile, just to cheer us all up, here's a link to the story of the Yellow Nosed Albatross released in Somerset on Saturday, complete with pix and video of the bird before it sailed off into the wild blue yonder.
Enjoy. Click here.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Would be interesting to know whether the Yellow Nose was in good health or not, eg has it been able to feed properly during its visit, presumably now permanent, to the northern hemisphere. If it is healthy then "eyes to the seas".
I actually "caught" a couple a year ago off Sodwana Bay in S Africa whilst out sea fishing. Actual target was Tunas (or 'owt daft enough to take our baits) but the "mollymawks" had a go and managed to get the baits without being got themselves. Quite close in as well, visible from the shore.
Banks Marsh well flooded so bad luck for the Avocets where I managed to spot only a single tiny chick yesterday, being walked by its parents.
Non bird news is the Red Squirrel on the bird feeders in my garden behind Botanic. Doubly good as I'm a contributor to the Sefton Grey Squirrel "relocation" campaign, relocation in my case being via "Webley Hustler Harriers",
Ron
2 Manx Shearwaters off Sandplant this avo, ticketytick tick tick! Marshside first, also Gannet n 2 Arctic Skua.