Blue House Farm Barn Owls 2018 (C) Essex Wildlife Trust ... all pics/vids posted with their kind permission!

Tail looks odd??

WendyBartter said:

Tail looks odd??

Wendy, regarding your comment about one of the South Downs owls with the "odd" tail.

Judging by the mating attempt that has just happened, then the short tail belongs to the female. The tail doesn't look as short at the moment as in your capture, so I may be wrong. I am not aware of the easy ways of identifying the gender of a barn owl, in this instance the wonky tail may be an identifier. With my lack of knowledge, it is just as likely that the one with the longer tail will lay the eggs :) Ian

Hedging your bets there Ian! Lol

Shame I was out & missed the opportunity of recording the mating, glad you saw it!

WendyBartter said:

Two at Lorcan Meadows

Wendy, have you tried to look at the Lorton Meadows cam today (31 Jan)? Since I saw you referring to it, I have been looking from time to time, but today it is not working. It could be a fault at my end but it would be good to know.

Thanks Ian

Hi Ian, sorry to jump in but yes, Lorton Meadows webcam is working for me

18:31

Hi Ian & Sandra, no problem getting Lorton Meadows (sorry for earlier error) using Chrome or Puffin !

Hi Wendy. I'm on IE if that helps.

Thanks Sandra & Wendy, I had a browser update yesterday which for some reason didn't impact anything yesterday but has today. By some luck I have managed to correct things & can now see the cam. Ian

Good news, Ian :)

Latest info re new BO cam ... been on phone to very helpful girl, Tiffany, at Essex WT who spoke with Harry Smith then rang me back!

Good news is that it's going to happen .........

Bad news is won't happen today as planned!

Technical issues need sorting still & Harry is waiting on a visit from techie guy ... will be sometime next week now before we see it ... Tiffany is going to arrange for a message to be posted on FB page to give us the nod!

But I will still check in as often as possible, just in case!