I will begin with a bit of fun this morning: I have been really lucky with owls on the reserve recently. On Friday evening, just as I was leaving to go home, a little owl flew over my head flying west towards the poplar woods. Yesterday morning, as I drove along the entrance track, a barn owl flew off from a track side post and flew along right in front of me as I progressed steadily towards the gate to the staff car park. This morning, my luck was really in when I got out of my car to open the staff gate: A tawny owl was perched in a poplar tree right above my head! I had a brief chance to admire its handsome silhouette before it flew off towards the visitor centre.
This leads me on nicely to the question above. If you are wondering what I am talking about, the collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament. This term originates from the fact that owls were always thought to be wise. Indeed, the tawny owl has often been represented in literature and elsewhere as being "the wise owl."
However, wise or not, I am not sure whether three owls are really enough to form a parliament though. Oh well, it has been keeping me amused this morning so far anyway!
Anyhow, as I often say, that is enough of my nonsense for another day! We have been very fortunate that our local photographers have been out taking some lovely pictures recently. Here are some more that have been taken in the last week:
The winter plumage slavonian grebe, taken last Sunday:
Image credit: Lee Gregory
A red legged partridge, also taken last Sunday:
Image credit: Matt Walton
"Little and Large", one of our resident crane pairs, taken yesterday:
Last but not least, the visitor centre feeders with two goldfinches, a greenfinch and a great tit:
Thank you very much to Lee and Matt for sending over these lovely pictures.
In other news, at least seven hen harriers roosted on the reserve on Friday evening and there may have been as many as nine birds. They were accompanied by at least 12 marsh harriers. A male Chinese water deer was showing well at the west end of the reserve along with the juvenile peregrine and two woodcocks.
The slavonian grebe was still present on the washland yesterday and at least three different bitterns were seen from Joist Fen viewpoint during the morning.
As I mentioned in my blog post on Friday, the work to begin the re-jigging of some of the the paths will begin tomorrow. Once again, we will try to ensure that disturbance is kept to a minimum.
Anyhow, I must go as I have to lead a 10 kilometre walk around the reserve. Bye for now and we hope to see you soon.