Shorties Do Well

June 28, 2015 at 6:23 pm

Short Eared Owl
One species to have benefitted from the dry and sunny spring has been the Short Eared Owl. I have now found broods of three young and two young and have heard of another pair that have fledged seven young which is exceptional. The abundance of voles has also been productive for Kestrels and Long Eared Owls. The ultimate challenge for any Pennine wildlife photographer is to photograph a hunting Long Eared Owl. The male is normally nocturnal but when he has young to feed he starts hunting just before sunset. The light may not be good and you are pushing your camera to its limits but next weeks gallery will show my best results so far. Once the young Owls are independent the male disappears back into the forest and becomes nocturnal again. Click here
The cold spring and lack of vegetation is still having an effect on such migrants as Whitethroats. Whilst some males are singing few are feeding young and they will have a lot of catching up to do if this season is not to become a disaster.