Monday 13 January 2014

Long Eared Owl at Marton Mere

 I was really looking forward to Sunday afternoon as I was going out to Marton Mere to meet David McGrath. I was really excited when he told us we would be taken on a tour by himself around the nature reserve. 

We started off our walk on a gritty path along the the mere, getting good views of an Owl Box with actual Barn Owls roosting in it. As we moved further down the track we came to some scrub type land and hidden within the density of leaves and twigs sat a Long Eared Owl, perched, barely moving. Apparently there had been three seen together at once, however I was really pleased with just the one (my first ever Long Eared Owl) and got great views through all the scopes from Dave the other particularly kind people with us on the tour. Believe me, that is a Long Eared Owl in the picture below.


Reverting back to Barn Owls; as it soon became dusk, well almost dusk, the adult Barn Owl popped it's head from within the next box and tried to decide whether it was the right time to hunt, and it was. Soon after this picture was taken the Barn Owl flew from the next box and twirled above it once or twice then set off around the area to hunt. We kept catching sight of it hunting along the edges of the mere and over the scrub land.


Of course like most reserves this one gets rare visitors and David said it was very rare to get Pintail on the mere. As soon as he said that, I spotted three coming in to land on the mere, possibly to roost. David was speechless and I just had a big grin on my face.


When it was almost completely dark the 400 or so Teal had almost completely vanished from the centre of lake and had gone into roost within the reeds. They were the first ones I had seen this year, and a bird I never get tired of seeing.


We didn't get to see the otters or the Bittern, but if Dave lets me, I would really like to visit again.  Thanks David  and everyone else for their time and help; definitely a reserve I would visit again.

Also a big thank you to John Poland who gave me a copy of his brilliant book The Vegetative Key to the British Flora.

21 comments:

  1. Sweet!!! Had to blow that picture up. Good spotting!

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  2. You're more than welcome to visit anytime Finn. Maybe you could join us one one of our whale & dolphin watches in the summer - with your new scope ;-)

    Cheers

    DaveyMan

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  3. Sounds like you has a great day Findlay...

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  4. What a great day out! Good spotting of the owl. I would have missed it!

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  5. Great outing and sightings. You did great finding the owl. Enjoy your week!

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  6. Great bird - it looks exactly the same as the first one I ever saw!!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  7. Good show on the Owl and the Pintail! Sounds like a special place.

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  8. Congratulations on the owl! Love the Teal! They're handsome ducks!

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  9. Two Owls in one day. I haven't seen any yet lol
    Sounds like an excellent day out Findlay.

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  10. Well done on spotting the LEO an bird lacking in my image files

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  11. Brilliant with the LEO, Findlay. You'll have done a great job if you ever get a better image of one. I've only ever managed shots with well-concealed birds like yours!

    Two species of owl in one day too! So far this year, I've only managed Little Owls. Did a stake-out for a Barnie last night, but it didn't show.

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  12. It looks like you had a very fine day at the reserve Findlay. I do see that Owl too, for many of the images I end up with, you must look very close, but the thrill of knowing, that you know and see them right before you, is great...nice job!

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  13. Even with you pointing it out I'm not sure I could see the owl. I had the same problem with my most recent sighting, the first time I had a camera-- I could not get it in focus through all the branches, and did not want to disturb it by poking the camera through the foliage.

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  14. LEO = AWESOME.

    I got my first (and only) last year fairly local to me.

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  15. What a day! Beautiful birding -- first-timers for you and a rare bird sighting that had your mentor speechless...who could ask for more. (You already know so much about birding -- I wish you were my mentor!)

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  16. Also, I remember when I first started birding (before digital cameras) I was thrilled just to see a bird! Especially a new one.. and now I can't help but be a little bit disappointed if I don't get a good picture. But that's not good. I try to tell myself that SEEING them is the important thing!

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  17. Well done! I have still haven't seen one. I will be visiting martin mere soon, I hope they are still there. By the way I recommend that you go to Burton march in Cheshire, There is 2 rarities there which will be new to you (American buff bellied pipit and Siberian Chiffchaff) You will get great veiws of them and get great pictures when i went I got 4 new species ( American buff bellied pipit, Siberian Chiffchaff 2, Water pipit and ringed teal) If you go, hope you see them I got great view of these birds I will be there on Sunday 19th January in the morning hope to see you there

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  18. By the way if you don't know where it is you can get direction from RSPB Burton mere, search on Google RSPB Burton mere and you fan get the post code for the reserve, you have a great chance of seeing after rail at the reserve as well as other fantastic species!

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