On this day (April 13th)...in 2008

Birding sometimes (but not often!) isn't just about rarities. On April 13th 2008 after a Ring Ouzel session, what better way than Owls to finish...

I finished the session over at Bridgnorth, down by the river where a pair of Tawny Owls have raised a couple of chicks again. Very high up so excuse the odd angle of view! Thanks to Yvonne for reporting these again. We had great fun watching the reactions of local folk - either interested or totally not, some refused to look up thinking it was a wind up!










I know just how he feels!






Catching up as well, a Barn Owl in flight over the top field at Venus Pool during the week.








And showing not quite so well but kinda cute - a distant pair of Little Owls at a private site.





















On 13th April 2012, it was a Lesser Pecker encounter 'somewhere' in Cheshire...

Not an every day sight and a welcome one for me following a trip to Cheshire. This smart male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was certainly worth the effort! Hard work though, it took me over five hours on site to come away with these.....







A Shropshire bird would be even nicer!

Wrekin - Tawny Owls

Whilst I'd only heard Tawny Owl so far this year, this is always a good time to find them with chicks and adults always likely to call? It also helps to get some pointers and a couple of birding mates (you know who you are!) helped me locate these two youngsters. We heard them calling long before actually finding them and they were a nightmare to get a clear view through the foliage. The adults were undoubtedly nearby but didn't reveal themselves!

A couple of record shots, they didn't exactly do much!

It's that 'cute' time of year, ahhhh :-)