Sunrise 05:42 Sunset 20:47 BST
Some welcome rain overnight and this morning it was quite warm, there was a mist hanging over the river valley when I set out with the dogs. The sun was just rising and it was great to be out and about.
I’ve been saying that there is not much happening lately, well today made up for it in abundance. I was crossing over to Bere Marsh and saw a flash of white. I suspected the Barn owl, it was still quite dull. Sure enough I soon spotted him flying in the fields, he disappeared into the next field and then I saw him land in the trees. I managed to take a photo.
(Click on a picture for a bigger photo)
What happened next was very gripping! The owl flew back into the next field and he shortly came back with a vole in his talons, so far so good. Just then I saw a couple of Crows heading for him and there was quite a fight, the owl dropped the Vole and the owl landed in the field with the Crows. I felt helpless! The owl did manage to fly away without his prey but with the crows in pursuit. I do hope he managed to get away safely as they disappeared across the old railway line. Mind you the poor old vole didn’t get away with anything, I am assuming he wasn’t still alive. It was quite a spectacle and although I was upset for the owl these scenarios are played out everyday.
I did take a set of photos, they are not too good, due to the limitations of the camera in low light and the photographer’s skills who took them! I kept them because it was worth it for the record, to look back on in the future.
I walked towards the barn hoping to see him again but nothing.
I came back and spotted a Pied wagtail enjoying the puddle in the road.
I walked across the bridge towards home and was just thinking to myself I haven’t seen any deer for a while, I looked up and there was one watching me from the edge of the field, I couldn’t beleive it! I caught hold of Kim and put her on a lead and managed to attract Lucy with a biscuit. Kim saw the deer and I was wrestling with my camera, and trying to put Lucy on her lead, I must have looked a sight. Once I had everything under control(!) I spotted two deer they both went into the little wood and then one popped out and ran towards Netmead field, I managed a quick snap. It was limping a little, I hope nothing too serious.
Well what a morning! Then I was doing a little garden tidying and found an Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar in my weed bucket. I rescued it and put it in the garden before the weeds went in the compost. I read they like Willow Herb so I put it on my garden version, the flowers are over now so I don’t think it will do too much harm.
