Monday 28 April 2014

A Regular Visitor.

We have taken to leaving our curtains drawn back after it gets dark, because over the last few nights we have had an exciting visitor.

You may remember that some time ago I spoke of a tawny owl visiting the bird table just as it was getting dark, and sitting there for a while.   Well, now we have a pair of tawnies and each night they come to the telegraph pole quite close to our back window.   The male sits atop the pole and the female usually comes a short while after and sits on the actual telephone line.   Last night, as we sat watching them, they actually mated.

They presumably have a nest quite near (tawny owls usually nest in holes in trees and there are plenty of old trees around).   There are plenty of nesting birds around but somehow this pair are quite special.

There are chaffinches nesting in the fir tree in the front garden, and also there are hedge sparrows in the clematis along the wall.   Tree sparrows have taken over the bird box on the Scots Pine, as they usually do and at least two blackbirds are nesting in the privet hedge.   The house martins are back and are busy reinforcing their last year's nests under the North-facing eaves and every barn has its quota of swallows - including the garage.  We are now having to leave the car out until Autumn because the garage swallows make such a mess of it.

As dusk falls the air is full of bird song - particularly that of the blackbird.   What an exciting time of year it is.

16 comments:

Em Parkinson said...

Now a Tawny owl is VERY exciting!

Sue in Suffolk said...

I know we have lots of birds nesting around about and blackbirds have fledged already, but Tawny owls in the garden would be special! Very envious!

Gwil W said...

You are living in a bird sanctuary judging by this and some other recent posts. but i'm not surprised. The birds know a thing or two, obviously.

Gwil W said...

You are living in a bird sanctuary judging by this and some other recent posts. but i'm not surprised. The birds know a thing or two, obviously.

ChrisJ said...

I LOVE the blackbird's song. We don't have them here.

John Going Gently said...

I have never seen a tawny owl pat.....plenty of barn owls but never a tawny

Heather said...

How wonderful to have a pair of owls and to think you might have their family too. Although we live in a semi-urban area there are plenty of mature trees nearby and a large variety of birds visit our garden. In the past week I have seen crows, magpies, blackbirds, starlings, sparrows, greater spotted woodpecker, robins, wrens, bluetits, great-tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, wood pigeons and collared doves. Most are regular visitors which helps me to feel that we live in the country.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

What a wonderful time of year - all those nesting birds. I love spring. Today I planted some flowers in pots on the deck, cleaned and rearranged things on the deck and just did a general spring sprucing up, getting ready for long days and warm evenings on the deck.

Cloudia said...

How wise you are to appreciate your blessings, how blessed we are that you so well share the thrill.




ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral

=^..^= <3

Cloudia said...

Posted a little house finch today-

Cro Magnon said...

With workmen almost dismantling my barn, all the usual residents have disappeared. I'm not sure if they'll return either.

Dartford Warbler said...

How wonderful to see your Tawnies so closely. We always have some in the old oaks in the hedge and we hear them but don`t often see them.

The cuckoo has been around this week.

Enjoy watching your nests - we have lots here so the cats are on curfew again.

Pondside said...

It's such a treat to see rarely-sighted birds up close.
Each morning as I go down to the road for the newspaper I enjoy the birdsong, and sometimes, as I read the paper on the veranda, I'm buzzed by a hummingbird or two.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for calling. A possibe reason for the owl visits has been suggested by a friend - see my next blog.

MorningAJ said...

I've not heard our pair of tawnies this year so far. You are lucky to be able to watch them. I get occasional glimpses, but nothing more.

Crafty Green Poet said...

How lovely to have the tawny owls so close! Wonderful birds! Always exciting too when the summer migrants return and spring birdsong is one of the most amazing things...