Category: Animals

  • Fish thief

    The heron’s managed to find a way in past the wire around the pond: limboing under it in a gap in the reeds. Beautiful bird but a menace to our fish.

    So we added two more strands of fishing line which seems to be working, at least for now.

    The scarecrow hasn’t been that effective though.

  • Empty nest

    The two barn owlets have dispersed and the nest box is now empty. A good opportunity to clean it out and service the cameras, all ready for new residents.

  • All grown up

    The two young owls are now flying well and hunting for themselves. This may well be the last time we see them before they disperse and find new homes.

  • Buzzard

    Category: ,

    Our resident buzzard caught close up on the wildlife camera.

  • Learning to fly

    A few stretching exercises then the two owlets start their night of flying lessons.

  • Bees are happy today

    And this is as close as I’m going to get to them in a T-shirt.

  • Hooty check-up time

    Seven weeks old and time for John from the Shropshire Barn Owl Group to come and weigh, measure, ring and undertake an expert assessment of our two owlets. One is male, the other female and both are good weights and healthy, though somewhat grumpy for being disturbed in the middle of their sleep.

    Thank you John!

  • First look at the world outside

    The owlets can now jump up and reach the entrance to the nest box to see the wide world for the first time. Not long before they get weighed and measured: more photos to come soon.

  • Five weeks old

    The two barn owlets are 35 days (five weeks) old and their proper feathers can be seen growing under the warm fluff and they’re developing the familiar heart-shaped face. In another two weeks we hope the owl expert to come and check them over, and we’ll have a chance to see them properly for the first time.

  • Bee time

    Our wonderful bee keeper, Sue, has, with help from experts Paul and Rob, installed a strange new bee hive called a top bar hive. Despite its odd looks it didn’t take long to fill with bees who have got very busy harvesting the wildflower nectar in the field to make honey.

  • No hook needed

    The croft isn’t just for wildlife. It’s a working field that produces hay, wood, fruit, honey, and fish to eat. We have brown and rainbow trout which we raise in the larger of the two ponds. Yes, the rainbow aren’t native, but they can’t breed, and yes, the trout do feed off the small wildlife but we keep the stock levels low and the pond is large enough to allow a good balance to develop.

    The rainbow trout are also a little mad and behave like a cross between dolphins and piranhas, and it doesn’t take much to be able to catch one.

  • Two down

    Only two owlets left but they’re doing well. The spell of rain (barn owls can’t fly in the rain) at night when the little ones were most vulnerable meant a low food supply. But the remaining ones have their downy coats to keep warm so the mother can hunt now too.

    Two days later and the fluffballs are getting bigger, but the hunting still isn’t very good with more rain at night.