Barn owl

[slowfen]

Barn owls are one of the treat I get doing early morning rides in the fens. often stop to watch them hunting. And if I'm lucky I've cycled along parallell for a 100 yds before its drifted off.

Having said that, they are noisey buggers, they screech alot.

 

[longers]

Did see a short eared owl quartering on Kinder Scout a couple of years back and being creatures of habit I could go back and probably find it again if it's still doing the rounds (quarters). Maybe I should. 8.30 ish. Bit late now.


That was a big bird .

 

[gbb]

Barn owls are one of the treat I get doing early morning rides in the fens. often stop to watch them hunting. And if I'm lucky I've cycled along parallell for a 100 yds before its drifted off.

Having said that, they are noisey buggers, they screech alot.

Crikey, i remember being at Kelling Heath in Norfolk last year...i've seen many many Barn Owls over the years, but never heard them like i did at Kelling Heath.
Blood curdling screams all night

Any kids awake at night woulda had nightmares (huh !...if they'd been asleep that is )

 

[Wobbly John]

Another fen rider here. I used to do an evening job until 10.30 and then cycle home along the main A10. The best ride home I had was a moonlit night with a slight tailwind...



... and having a barn owl fly along 2 metres away keeping pace, at about 20mph, for over a mile. We both kept glancing across at each other as if he was getting as much of a kick out of it as I was.


Another time we had an injured tawny owl in the garden. He couldn't get enough height to fly over the fence. I rang the Raptor Rescue Centre, and they said "Get a tea towel, and go and catch it." It's got bloody grert claws FFS!

Well, I got an old dressing gown and went and caught it - it was suprisingly calm and docile. I took it round to a bloke in the village that looked after them (the Raptor centre put me in tough with him), and the centre picked it up in the morning. Don't know if it survived tho'

 

[wafflycat]

One of the joys of cycling in rural parts is the accompanying wildlife. I've had owls fly alongside, kestrel too. Also the way deer aren't scared either.

 

[wafflycat]

Hurrah! Mr Pheasant with the injured leg has reappeared this evening. His leg, whilst still injured somehow appears to be causing less of a limp this evening. So extra food out again for him to keep his strength up

 

[gbb]

Hurrah! Mr Pheasant with the injured leg has reappeared this evening. His leg, whilst still injured somehow appears to be causing less of a limp this evening. So extra food out again for him to keep his strength up

If he can stay away from predators, he's perhaps got every chance Waffly. I saw a seagull with one good leg and one stump last year. He was doing ok and seemed quite able.

 

[Speicher]

There are usually two pheasants wandering around my garden, at some point in the day. Over the past couple of days, I have only seen one.
I just hope Mr Fox is not around somewhere stuffed to the gunnels with fresh pheasant.

It can get very noisy, with pheasants, woodpeckers, foxes, various cats, and during the day lots of dove type flying birdies. That's without the noise from the wind rustling all the tall trees around here.

 

[Joe24]

Not seen one in the wild, but quite a few years ago, next door but one had a barn owl land in the garden. We live in a city area and it was someones that they keep. He had it for a good time before it was collected. He used to go out in the day and get it flying. Amazing to see, really fast and gracefull.
Not sure if it is still alive.