Face To Face

This last week has seen the continuation of the very wintry weather with bitter easterly winds and some snow from time to time. Lancashire has not had much snow but the bitter winds have made it very unpleasant to be out and about with the camera. I did however venture out and my first trip was back to the Pilling mosslands looking for owls.I was unlucky with the barn owls but there was a shortie showing from time to time.I visited the same area again but it was dead on yet another bitterly cold and cloudy day.

Thursday afternoon found me in a different location nearer home where I was very pleased to see the barn owls hunting in the late afternoon. They seem to come out around 4pm and despite the strong winds they were actively hunting the rough grasslands close to their home in the  farm buildings. I was well hidden behind a hedge and in camouflage and on three occasions  the barn owls came close and gave me some great opportunities for close up shots.

Shown above are my best efforts from the brief encounter with the owls. It became very unpleasant waiting for the owls to come close and after an hour I had had enough and returned to the comforts of home. I was however well pleased with the results and hope you enjoy the images of my face to face encounter with these lovely birds. Weather permitting I hope to return soon for more close encounters. Thanks for looking in and enjoy your weekend.

Owling Again

Wednesday was a fine day with little or no wind and pleasant warm sunshine.Ideal conditions for the barn owls to come out hunting so I decided on a visit to the mosslands around Pilling to see what I could find.The barn owls in this area do tend to hunt during the daytime. They take advantage of good flying conditions for locating their prey in their favoured rough grassland  haunts.It turned out to be a super afternoon with the barn owls particularly on top form.There was also a short eared owl hunting the same fields but I concentrated on the barn owls.I have tried to capture the birds in their location showing surrounding farms and countryside with the barn owls in typical hunting postures.Hope you enjoy the images and I will return soon with more from the Lancashire countryside.

Barn Owls and Waxwings

Went out yesterday p.m.on what was the nicest day of the year so far.Temperatures were in double figures and there was no wind.My plan was to look for the mass migration of toads which takes place at this time of the year. I visited a local wetland nature reserve but as yet no toads were present.However I was pleasantly surprised to discover a party of waxwings,around thirty in number,which were enjoying the warm sunshine and flycatching from the treetops. I managed a few shots of these bonny birds before leaving for another location not far from home where I hoped for sightings of the resident barn owls. I was not disappointed and around four p.m.the barn owl suddenly appeared .It was later joined by it's mate and both birds flew close from time to time giving some great opportunities for the camera in the wonderful late afternoon light.I hope you enjoy the images above and thanks for looking in.

Dippers and Wagtails

Last week I visited a local valley where dippers and grey wagtails are present.The dippers were busy nest buillding and I was able to approach the area well concealed under camouflage. The dippers carried on with their nest building duties unconcerned by my prescence. Grey wagtails also came close and gave some nice photographic opportunities. All in all it had been nice to get out and about and enjoy the current very settled weather,frosty mornings and pleasant sunny afternoons.Hope you enjoy the images and I will return to the area when the dippers are feeding young in a few weeks to observe and photograph these unique birds.