Getting ready for owlets… and otters in the pond!

We are now heading towards the end of incubation in our tawny box, with the eggs due to hatch towards the end of next week. It is very exciting and I can’t wait to capture my first glimpse of this year’s owlets!

After a very wet and windy week last week, the weather has improved and thus the male has been bringing in more food to my hungry female. She is reluctant to get off of the eggs as the male comes in, so he is now landing in next to her. It is a bit of a squeeze in there for both of them, but she has usually eaten the offering before he has managed to struggle back out! Mainly wood mice this week.

The female only leaves the box twice… usually just as it gets dark and then another time just before it gets light. She is never gone for more than ten minutes. After sitting in this confined space 24-7, it must be good to stretch the wings, have a drink and possibly bathe as well.

This mouse was saved after it was delivered just an hour after another, earlier in the evening.

When the female came to eat this cached mouse, rigamortis had set in. This makes it a lot harder to swallow, than a soft, fresh mouse!

 

The buzzard is very apparent on site and often perches right outside the tawny box. I have included this clip fro the PTZ camera so you can see the tawny box from the outside….

After last week’s squirrel dramas, these two prospecting stock doves were sensible enough to wait politely outside!

You may remember that last week, I had captured some clips of an otter coming up the garden to the ornamental pond. I set two more Bushnells. I was confident he would return…. what otter wouldn’t.  We obviously have mixed feeling about this otter raiding the pond of course, but reluctant to do anything to deter him. We hope that the river will have more of a draw and that just two visits this week will not turn into a nightly visit…..

 

We have a number of other nest boxes on site of course; some with cameras. This great tit is checking out the HandyKam box..

Hopefully, my next blog post will be announcing the safe hatch of Yew View new tawny arrivals… I just can’t wait!



from www.wildlifekate.co.uk https://wildlifekate.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/getting-ready-for-owlets-and-otters-in-the-pond/

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