Garden Wildlife 2014

[Roma]

Grey wagtail seen from my kitchen window this morning

[Growild]

Sorry a terrible photograph ... but look who I saw peeping out from our dilapidated Dutch barn.

[Maggi Young]

I love owls - can't tell you how long its been since I saw a Barn Owl 
Beautiful creatures. I hope yours has a large family, Lisa!

[Growild]

I love owls - can't tell you how long its been since I saw a Barn Owl 
Beautiful creatures. I hope yours has a large family, Lisa!

I'm afraid Maggi that he is our only resident Barn Owl  though I have seen a Short-eared Owl hunting in the day.

The Barn Owl is one of the main reasons we moved here and when we did move in he moved out for a while! I think we were starting to use the outbuildings that hadn't been in use for years that he used. Anyway he is used to us now and I've had a few special close encounters with him when I've gone in for my wheelbarrow in one of the Byres. We were worried that our Vole obsessed cat was talking all his food resources but a local reassured me that we have probably 2,000 round the property so there's nothing to worry about!

[Maggi Young]

This  is both "garden" and "wildlife" for sure ......



From this site  

[mark smyth]

Sorry a terrible photograph ... but look who I saw peeping out from our dilapidated Dutch barn.

I'd get a nest box or two in there asap

[Growild]

I'd get a nest box or two in there asap

Please don't worry Mark

There are many places in the farm for nesting  and we have a double floored stable where pellets have also been found Though the thing is if only he could find a mate! The Barn Owl population round here according to a local has dropped dramatically in recent years (as well as with other birds of prey). As you don't need any form of planning permission for farm buildings farmers are just pulling down there old barns, stables and byres as they can't afford them to be upgraded. We are also in this position with one byre as the roof is about to fall in ...

[Peter Maguire]

This  is both "garden" and "wildlife" for sure ......

From the look of that bird's stomach it seems to be sleeping off the effects of a large meal. There will be no seeds left in the area!

Here's one for Maggi. 
A garden spider (Araneus diadematus) with her 'finger on the trigger' (the spider, not Maggi!)