Shorty, Barnie & Hobby

 Bootiful down them marshes me dear

 Short-eared Owl in the R.Yare valley.

 Hobby blast along behind the owl

dot of a Hobby LHS below fencing

Barnie didn't appear till the light was going - one of the Hobbies shot past me 10' away & headed straight at the Barnie who dipped a wing to take evasive action..

Lots of Tawnies , Littles & Barnies down in Norfolk

- some of the areas look perfect for Long-eared.....will have to come back earlier next year

Short Harrier battle

The best asio winter for several years is drawing to a close, but seems to be ending with a fair flurry of activity.

Heres a series of long range pics from John of a Shorty showing a Hen Harrier who's boss!

On yer bike

and a nice cropped shot as the harried passed by, still at range :-

Images from J.Bridges from a private study site up on the escarpment.  JBee. Northeastwildlife.co.uk

Post Script:
The Gin Trap Ninja writes to tell me he recognises this individual & has snapped it several times..... just how many individuals and how far these Harriers have been travelling is unclear at best.... the ringtail i watched mid week was only a mile away but a very different looking creature.

One tactic these Harriers seem to employ on a regular basis, which i havnt seen or heard with Shorties is to "catch" a whole mouse / vole nest and feel through it whilst flying, disguarding all vegetative matter but keeping a firm hold on the meal inside.

as the headmaster used to say.....

six of the best.

( well, six of the second best, 'cos they're Shorties )

Photo with kind permission of David Kray, Hurworth Burn Res, Co.Durham.

Cut'n a Long story Short: Different Seo pic from DJ

Cut'n a Long story Short: Different Seo pic from DJ

http://www.djohnson.org/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=0

Different Seo pic from DJ

In light of some recent talk of 'different' Short-eared pictures,

Hows about this one by Dave J :-

Short inspecting Ladybird larvae

Ive been owling, but havnt any decent pics, i have seen some perched up, but not as close as this one, again by the Master  ;-)

Arse end Asio's

Heres a good comparison with 2 pics of our two Asio's saying Adios

Short (JBridges)

and

Long (JScott)

Shortest days

.

bumped into this one nr Hurbuck Cottages, between Lanchester & Consett, Co.Durham.

Shorter days

Short-eareds all over the place the last few weeks

Heres an interesting shot from Dave Johnson , taken recently at Blackhall, showing the birds 'ear'

more here :-    http://www.djohnson.org/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=0


I managed this Large brown lump...........

ears a clue.............

1 of 6 Long-ears
a decent view through scope, but limited phone-scoping opportunities on a dull afternoon

Short scary visit

I stopped on the way home to watch a Shorty having fun with a Crow the owl rising effortlessly to @ 200' to evade the corvid.

As I watched someone dropped out of the tree right overhead..... frightening the life out of me!!! Before making off along the lane , - a Little Owl ! - it must have been getting his own back for me scaring it's mate on the rockface !

floaters

small numbers of Short-eared Owls now present right across our local area

.

Silhouetted Long-eared at dusk, perched up after an altercation with a passing Short-eared Owl.

An hour before the light went today produced a Little Owl with a Magpie in attendance, a Short-eared or two hunting with a Long-eared just after half-past, a Jack Snipe flicking past close by moving off out the way of the hunting asios.

14th Jan 2010 - Thor / Leo

snow starting to go


the ice will take a bit longer - some open water at Ch'Moor.


one day i'll get a real camera

Met up with Foghorn for a couple of hours
There was no sign of our intended target, but we managed a few nice birds inc Jack Snipe, Water Rail, Short-eared Owl



Ch Moor
The only ice free water in the local area - worth keeping an eye on. 2pr Wigeon, 10Lapwing, 20Teal, 3Snipe, Pied Wagtail, Heron, 16Moorhen etc. Again many gulls on flood water including a 2nd winter Med Gull.



Small nos of birds moving back into area over last 2 days including Skylarks, winter thrushes, Wood Pigeon, Starling, Lapwing etc