Hi and welcome to my Blog, my name is Paul Riddle and I live in south Leicestershire, UK. Back in August 2007 my quest began to locate as many local Little Owl territories as possible. The driving force was a reported decline in the uk numbers so I thought I would do my bit and conduct a study in my area. After 7 years and countless hours out in the field I have detected over 200 different sites. With a thirst for a greater understanding of the owls a more comprehensive monitoring and nest box programme then commenced. This also now includes monitoring the local and very sparse population of Barn Owls, please pop back occasionally and catch up with the life and times of my owls and any other wildlife that I come across. I hope you enjoy your visit!!!

Friday 26 March 2010

Expectant owl dad!!!!

A couple of weeks ago I found a new site over at Smoke Hall, Enderby (site 98) and since then I haven't returned apart from the day after the finding to put up one of my owl nest boxes in the old barn. Well today was well worth the visit because as I entered where the box was erected a pair of little owls vacated pretty dam smartish out of the hole in the roof where a tile had fallen off. Dam and blast if I had been a little less like a bull in a china shop maybe I could of got an image or two but not a chance in hell when one acts like a great lumbering oaf!!! a lesson learnt.......I hope???

Anyway, whilst here I thought I might as well check out the nest box to see if there had been any signs of interest. The problem was it was too high up on top of a shelf for me to check it out, oh but that wasn't going to perturb me, with a bit of shunting back and forth I managed to squeeze the Landover inside the barn! It was now in a position that would allow me to climb up onto the roof and be at just the right height. The box was checked out and all the wood chipping that I had put in for bedding had been moved around and a nice (owl size) depression had been formed in one corner. Yipeeeeeee my first tenants have taken up residence, fingers crossed now they go on to breed.

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