Buzzard VS Little Owl !

Date spotted: 24th January 2013 - 1PM

Location: Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation: Been following the Buzzard and this family of Little Owls for around three years now and never seen or heard of this before! We were walking along the bottom lake, and found the Little Owls (they had disappeared for a while due to building works behind their nest), the Male and the Female were out hunting and moving from tree to tree. We heard a Buzzard call but carried on walking to the top lake, when we returned and found this Little Owl (pictured) he was in the open so stopped and watched him for a while, again we heard the Buzzard call we turned around and with that seen it flying STRAIGHT towards the Owl, we had out cameras ready but it happened so fast, we didn't get many shots. The Little Owl followed the Buzzard when he knew it was hunting him, the Little Owl took flight and went straight inside its nest INSIDE a tree, (pictured). The Buzzard went straight in after the Owl, and neither appeared for at least 2 or 3 minutes, the buzzard reappeared and sat on the entrance to the nest looking around and at the tree which was FILLED with noisy crows and jackdaws. The Buzzard sat and waited and called to its mate also flying around waiting. The Buzzard looking sorry for its self, kept peering into the nest but with no luck and no evidence of a kill, the Buzzards got chased off by two Crows. We waited but the Little Owl didn't appear and the Buzzards didn't return . We think the Little Owl has a LUCKY escape this time!

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny, Cold

Other Species: Buzzard, Crow  Jackdaw,  Rook, Little Owl

Best Walk for a Good Few Months!

Date spotted: 24th Jan 2013 - 1PM

Location: Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation: Male Phesant (pictured) came running down the hill behind, as if he hadn't noticed us, he stopped right by our feet, so luckily I had some seed left-over, which I left in a pile. Must have been one hungry pheasant!

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny but Cold.

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Rook, Dunnock, Buzzard, House Sparrow, Pheasant, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Mallard, Grey Heron, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Black-Headed Gull, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Bullfinch, Little Owl

 

Footprints In The Snow..

 

Date spotted: 24th Jan 2013 - 1PM

Location: Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation: What ya Saw 

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny and Snowy

Other Species: Rabbit, Fox and (One that hasn't been ID'ed!)

Unsuccessful Glaucous Gull Find..

 Date spotted: 13th Jan - 2PM

Location: Apex Wildlife Park, Highbridge

Observation: Travelled down to Apex Wildlife Park in Burnham-On-Sea, to try and photograph the Glaucous Gull that had been there for almost two weeks, but couldn't find it, hadn't been there all day and not been seen today either!

Weather: Cloudy, Sun was setting, Cold

Other Species: Blue Tit, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Crow, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Kestrel, Comorant, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Herring Gull, Lesser-Black Backed Gull, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Redshank, Muscovy Duck, Black-Headed Gull

Birdwatching from the Window..

Date spotted: 9th Jan 2013 - 1pm

Location: Birdwatching from the Window - Front and Back garden

Observation: A very photogenic Great Tit, who posed in the bright sunlight before feeding and flying back to same perch over and over again!

Weather: Blue Sky, Light Cloud, Sunny

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Pied Wagtail, Magpie, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Coal Tit.

 

Teal - Anas crecca

Date spotted: 6th Jan - 2013

Location: First walk out to Newton Park Lake this year. Zone 1 + 2

Observation: Pretty deserted bird-wise, but made up for it at Newton Park Lake (top lake) produced a group of 20+ Teal (first time in five years!).

Weather: Cloudy but warm with very little wind. Almost dark.

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Magpie, Crow, Jackdaw, Green Woodpecker (heard), Teal, Mallard, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Mute Swan.

 

Fulmar - Fulmarus glacialis

Date spotted: 1st Jan - 2013 (Happy New Year)

Location: Weymouth - Portland Bill Coastal Path

Observation: Two new birds to start of the New Year! One being a Fulmar, Second being a small group of Rock Doves!

Weather: Blue Sky, Light Wind, Sunny and Warm!

Other Species: Fulmar, Rock Doves, Robin, Blackbird, Crow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Kestrel, Merlin, Black-Headed Gull, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch.