A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE---PAUL FOSTER

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Monday 29 May 2017

Wood warbler

 For the last few weeks a Wood Warbler has been present at a local nature reserve in the Trough Of Bowland.I took the opportunity  to see this lovely summer migrant,as it was on territory and actively looking for a mate!

The bird was easily located with its trilling call,high up in the canopy and it gave a few short fluttery display flights to the lower branches enabling good close views.As I write this,the bird has been there a good few weeks now,and is still displaying.

Whether it finds a mate,remains to be seen,as they really are in serious decline .Also present, was a Tree Pipit which had returned to its patch to breed.I just love the call of this bird and again it is not at all common to the area!

Thanks for dropping by and please keep well!




Tree Pipit


Thursday 25 May 2017

Local Tawny Owls!

Last year I made a few owl boxes for the local tawnies,I was over the moon when I spotted this adult enjoying the morning sun in late march!
A few weeks later,I decided to investigate further and was pleased to find this adult incubating!

Checking the box to see if they had hatched,I was greeted with this clutch of 4 eggs!

Again leaving it for a week or so,another inspection revealed these little fellas!

Which a few week later had grown considerably into quite large owlets.There seems to be plenty of voles about this year so they should,t go hungry for long!Not long after,literally days ,2 of the owlets had fledged and were sitting quite high up in the pine trees.A quick look in the box revealed a single healthy chick!




The adult was never too far away,keeping a watchful eye on her youngsters.I have another box too, that tawnies are using.I am hoping to go for an inspection in the next few days.This pair went down approx 2 weeks later than the first pair,so hopefully there will be chicks present.Meanwhile to complete the hat trick,I had reports of a fully fledged youngster in a separate area only a half mile away,so the local Tawnies seem to be doing extremely well in my neck of the woods at the moment!Thanks for dropping by to view the blog and I hope you enjoy the pictures!