Your day's wildlife

[Poacher]

Tawny Owl in our garden, just before 9 o'clock this morning, making the most of the rain by having a thorough wash and rouse.
Sorry for the poor focus: old technology and inept user to blame!

 

[slowmotion]

 

[graham bowers]

Robins fledged this morning by the look of it, as the parents were feeding chicks in the nest yesterday. 2 chicks seen with binoculars but hopefully there are more.

 

[slowmotion]

[QUOTE 5262380, member: 9609"]how many eggs, how many hatched and how many do you think fledgd ?[/QUOTE]
Eleven eggs, nine hatched. Six died in the nest. Three fledged. The strongest was eaten by a jay. Sadly, the two remaining ones in the last photo were killed by my neighbour's cat this morning. All gone.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Eleven eggs, nine hatched. Six died in the nest. Three fledged. The strongest was eaten by a jay. Sadly, the two remaining ones in the last photo were killed by my neighbour's cat this morning. All gone.

 

[Poacher]

The same Tawny Owl, or possibly its mate, in the same part of the garden this afternoon. Poor bugger probably wasn't getting much rest due to several small birds mobbing it, so I don't feel too guilty about adding my flash to its travails.

 

[slowmotion]

The same Tawny Owl, or possibly its mate, in the same part of the garden this afternoon. Poor bugger probably wasn't getting much rest due to several small birds mobbing it, so I don't feel too guilty about adding my flash to its travails.
View attachment 411953

If it's got chicks, don't go too close to them. Tawny owl parents have been known to fly silently up behind people and dig their talons into their eyeballs.

See here...
http://owltheory.blog.lemonde.fr/2008/09/02/ocular-perforation-by-a-tawny-owl-attack/

 

[Poacher]

If it's got chicks, don't go too close to them. Tawny owl parents have been known to fly silently up behind people and dig their talons into their eyeballs.

See here...
http://owltheory.blog.lemonde.fr/2008/09/02/ocular-perforation-by-a-tawny-owl-attack/

The cautionary tale of what happened to Eric Hosking made a lasting impression since my early teens (i.e. over 50 years ago, and that was about 30 years after he lost his eye!). I haven't seen or heard any indication of chicks, unfortunately, but I'll still treat our visitors with due respect. There's a dearth of suitable nest sites round here, to the extent that Mrs Poacher has suggested I build a large nest box and stick it up a tree at the bottom of the garden. I doubt the smaller residents would appreciate it, but then again, they may actually get some benefit if the owls keep magpies and other potential predators at bay. I'll certainly give it some consideration, otherwise my life will be made hell.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Another Tawny Owl report. One flew out across the lane in front of me today. It perched obligingly on a tree branch so I could say "Hi" as I rode past. Lovely - I haven't seen a tawny owl for ages.

 

[keithmac]

Daisy's found a new favourite pass-time attacking my shorts!.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

And now it’s raining and we’re trapped in the indoor play area...

 

[biggs682]

We have been watching a pair of robins going back and forth to a metal chicken we have hanging on the garage wall for a few days .

Then the last couple of days nothing at all no robin's in the garden flitting about .

So stuck my phone over the hole and there is a nest and 3 eggs but no robin's

This would have been our first baby birds in 13 years.

 

[wheresthetorch]

Dipper fledgling. Watch the parent feeling it for ages. Sorry for poor quality photo but didn't want to go too close

.

 

[biggs682]

Some fungi from this morning's walk .

 

[potsy]

The baby robins that are nesting in my ivy are being well fed, won't be long before I get a look at them hopefully...