What's flying near you?

I haven't seen it, but I've been hearing a male barn owl for the last few nights. It sounds very close but I cant think of anywhere obvious it could be.

That reminds me that the owl man visited earlier this month to check the nest box and ringed this years young 2 male and one female. Here he is holding a male and female. The female is about a week younger than the male which is why it is a lot smaller. The eggs hatch at intervals and not all at the same time.

   

I don't think I would recognise a barn owl call. I've heard a tawny owl quite often in the darker evenings which is more of a twit-twoo sound.

They're beautiful. Lucky you to have them around.

Barn owl sounds - https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/barn-owl/

They're beautiful. Lucky you to have them around.

Barn owl sounds - https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/barn-owl/

If I heard that at night I'd probably think there was a ghost or witch about. I've never noticed that sound.

I was just stood at the kitchen sink looking out when a sparrohawk flew at the window. whether there was a sparrow there or it was after me I'm not sure but it then landed on the conservatory roof for a while to recover. It was quite big so probably a female. I'd been thinking there were not as many small birds about for the last few days. Maybe that is why.

As it’s been very heavy rain for the last 24 hours. We’ve got a dozen or so oystercatchers in the field at the moment. They do show up on occasion when it’s been very wet.

not exactly flying more waddling in the field behind me. I have to keep my gates shut or they would be in pooing everywhere. They waddle down the lane beside me every morning, and waddle home in the evening 

       

We have not seen many small birds in the very hot weather but, with the drop in temperature today, lots have appeared: a family of 5 or so blue tits and several small warblers that make the blue tits look big, wrens and robins. Also 3 ring doves. I don't mind them as they are not as destructive as the wood pigeons.

Coming home from shopping last Thursday, turning into our road at the top of the hill you can see over farmland. In the sunshine and thermals were three red kites swirling and swooping low over the just harvested field. We see the one occasionally but never three at a time. Hopefully it's a family looking to take up residence nearby.

The Jays are back - eating the acorns (good) and the apples (bad).

This morning at our daughters we were chatting on the lawn when a sparrow hawk swooped down and picked up a collared dove. We think the s/hawk panicked when it spotted us and dropped the Dove, both birds then flew away.