An evening with a Barn Owl

The Barn Owl appears to be doing well locally, particular in the valleys and on the limestone plateau where the mixed silage and cereal crops, with plenty of abandoned stone barns, seem to suit them. 

This bird was hunting along the side of the road and I'm surprised we don't see more road casualties as cars passed within a few feet of it.

Barn Owl

Sleeping Barn Owl

It's always exciting to start the New Year bird list. No surprises today but a sleeping Barn Owl and a skein of Pink-footed Geese flying NW up the valley got me off to a good start.

Barn Owl - roosting

 

Barn Owl - Beeley Moor

Watched a Barn Owl hunting on the edge of the moor last night just before the rain started. 
With the recent spell of mild winters the local Barn Owls appear to be doing OK at the moment and there was plenty of food available for this bird.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl - Beeley Moor

I am only aware of a single pair of Barn Owls on the edge of Beeley Moor, they successfully fledged two young this year and this is probably one of those birds.  
Hunting around the moor appears to be undertaken almost exclusively in the dark making them difficult to observe but this bird appeared mid-afternoon today providing a rare opportunity to get a photo, against a background of dark coniferous woodland.
They struggle to feed when the moorland and its fringes are snow covered for prolonged periods and this perhaps limits their occurrence around the moor.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl - Elton Common

Not much opportunity to see any wildlife, never mind get any photographs, with the current weather. I did have a bit of luck last night though; James had a puncture and was stuck between Hulme End and Warslow so I had gone to pick him up. 
Coming back over Elton Common we came across a Barn Owl hunting by the side of the road at about 17:30.
Fortunately James had his camera and managed a record shot as it hunted quite happily along the road-side verge, we watched it for about 10 mins before it headed off across a field.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl - Beeley Moor

A surprise for George Briggs this morning, mist netting for thrushes on the edge of the moor when a Barn Owl paid a visit.
It's amazing how secretive the owls can be in the Darley Dale/ Beeley Moor area. For both Barn and Long-eared Owl I generally only see them in the latter part of the breeding season.

I hear that the Crag Martin is still present and showing well today in Chesterfield, which has remained in the area despite the weather.

Barn Owl 

Barn Owl - Beeley Moor

The Barn Owl was hunting again this morning on the edge of Beeley Moor. I managed a single shot of it just as it was starting to get light. This was taken at ISO 10000 at 1/40th of a second but still captures something of the bird.
I had brief views of the Great Grey Shrike on Beeley Triangle and several Brambling on Bent Lane before the poor weather got the better of me and I headed home.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl juveniles prison break

I mentioned at the end of last week that I thought the juvenile Barn Owls would be about ready to leave the nest and tonight I watched two of them take what may have been their first flights. They looked a little unsteady leaving the barn but their flight was perfect.

Barn Owl - juveniles

Barn Owl update

Went back to check on the Barn Owls this evening and they appear to be doing well, judging by the number of voles the adult took to the nest. I am expecting the young to start coming out from the next soon.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

The Barn Owl has long been on my most wanted list but has proven very elusive. The prolonged hard winters in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 appears to have had an adverse effect on pairs in the Peak District but hopefully they will do better this year. There certainly seems to be an abundance of voles, which is also helping the Long-eareds. This bird took seven voles in an hour.

Barn Owl