Nice photo, Steve. Interestingly the Chase was my local patch for years (I lived most of my life in East Ham) but now it is Fowlmere which is about 3 miles from my house opposite the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. A few good birds seen at both sites over the years.
James
Hi James
Out of the two, you have the better one! Not jealous, really I'm not! :-) I am going to make sure I come back to Fowlmere at least once a month, there is just something about the place and of course there is wildlife that we don't get on the chase as well.
I want to come back soon to see if I can see the Turtle Doves before they migrate and also see if I can get some better photos of the Barn Owls.
Have any Tawney Owls been sighted lately?
Steve
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Hehe don't get me going on the Turtle doves, tried so hard last Sunday to get a good glimpse of them, sometimes they were so close you should have been able to get a clear view but they managed to get themselves well hidden, one was next to the Drewer hide for ages and i could not see it at all...
hi Steve, turtle doves certainly seem to have become a bit of a speciality of late. They often purr from the trees by reedbed hide and you can get good close views. I've never seen a tawny owl at Fowlmere, though I have heard them and they have bred previously in the box in your photo. There's a (sometimes wary) little owl over the back at Manor Farm and long-eared occasionally breeds (I've only seen them once). Someone had an unseasonal short-eared recently but barn is the easiest, though still rather hit and miss. I don't get over there often these days but am off now to try to see the mink reported recently.
Good luck!
No sign of the turtle doves at all yesterday, but did get to see the Barn Owl in the box having a few looks out during the afternoon :) Have a bit of film, will try and pop it into something to watch :)
Hi Denise
I'm hoping that the Barn Owls are still there this Saturday! I'm planning on coming back to Fowlmere this Saturday 11th August doing an early start. Also, I will be looking out for the Turtle Doves and hopefully get that photo I want.
At Fowlmere this morning and saw an adult Barn Owl underneath the reed hide at 7:10. Cracking!