Barn Owls

I have visited a site of a pair of local Barn Owls a few times recently, sometimes drawn a blank more often than not seen them in flight at a distance. On one occasion a couple of weeks ago one Barn Owl I managed to photograph at too great a distance on a far post, then a lot nearer on a piece of tree bough but still a little way off.

Another occasion a Barn Owl was quartering a grass pasture and then it landed on a post but I was in my car the wrong side of a hedge.

Finally I got lucky, the Barn Owl was approaching the same grass pasture, I scrambled to a gap in the hedge, I took a good number of flight shots but the Barn Owl landed in front of me on the post and I managed a couple of frames before it moved on.

Little Owl

A week last Saturday we travelled locally, barely getting out the car with the cold weather but nice sun at times. After not seeing too much, some shots of Dunnock on the ground in good light but nothing else this Little Owl was spotted bathed in good light.

Having taken a few shots where the bird was partially covered by twigs I rolled the car forward a tad and the results are the best I managed. I do not like to linger too long and end up disturbing the bird so I moved off but I will try here again.

Mandarin at Scarborough Mere

So much for my sentiments on 1st January about more regular posts. However, family matters have had to take precedence for a short while. I am now ready (weather permitting) to get on with some birding.

This Mandarin was at Scarborough Mere last week. I nearly missed it after walking around The Mere and not seeing this duck. Just about to drive away and it was with the other ducks feeding on some bread being thrown. It then proceeded to climb out of the water. They are very colourful birds, who would conjure up this paint job!

Anyway hope to post some new 2013 material soon!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all readers of my blog.
I hope to post regularly in 2013 and comment on fellow bloggers posts.
Hope you all have a good one.
My first bird of the year was a Blue Tit just on a short walk to my father-in-laws. This made me think of this shot a month or two ago in Forge Valley.