Short-eared Owl

Another evening out on Beeley Moor on Tuesday, this time things got better. Fleeting glimpses, then the pair disappeared, eventually the decision was made to go home, and there was one of the owls sitting on a post about 10 meters away.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

New look

I figured it was about time to upgrade how my blog was looking, so I changed its appearance. I decided I wanted to put more of an emphasis on my photographs and the old look didn't really show that too well. I hope you all like it.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

I've seen Short-eared owls Asio flammeus on Beeley Moor before but have never had the opportunity to photograph one.

I was running out of hope especially because the battery in my SLR was flat and I hoped the bird would not land anywhere which would have made a good photograph. I was leaving the moors when I saw the bird siting on a fence post for about 15 minutes and I realised I probably wasn't going to get a better opportunity to photograph such a magnificent bird. Clambering into the boot of the car (I couldn't get out the car because this would have scared the bird) and using my Canon powershot, I managed to get this photograph through the sun roof.

Rain has been disastrous to birds

The rain that most of the country had over the past 2 weeks has had a disastrous effects on birds. Ground nesting birds nests and breeding grounds have been destroyed. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has written an article which can been seen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17966324.

In Nottingham the peregrine falcon family lost 3 of their 4 chicks to the prolonged and heavy rain last week, which caused much upset to a lot of people. The remaining chick is doing well though on the other hand. A family of peregrines in London seemed to cope a little better than the family in Nottingham, but their nest is sheltered.

Ogston Reservoir (my local bird club) had many nesting pairs of lapwings which due to the rising water levels in the reservoir have unfortunately been lost. On the other hand there have been rumors that Severn Trent have let water from Carsington Waters into Ogston, they know birds breed by the edge of the reservoir so why do it?