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!!!

Saturday 10 April 2010

Effortless!!!!

Yep it has happened, tonight another new site has been located,  it took me an absolute age to eventually cross the line and achieve the 100 mark and not 24hrs later site 101 has been located. I feel a little bit guilty really as it was found with even less effort than site 100!!!

I'd spent the early part of the evening over at site 22 where a single bird showed well in the low evening sun. I was quite pleased with the images I'd captured but it wasn't the time for hanging around as it was Friday night and the Guinness gods were calling me!! I was no further than 30 seconds drive from home (in the rejuvenated landrover) going  along a road that I must have travelled thousands of times and by a tree that I must have gave the once over hundreds of times and without even trying there it was..........owl site 101!

I couldn't believe my luck, I pulled over and although the light levels were really poor I managed this image before the little blighter disappeared behind the hedgerow. 

Site 101, Whetstone - Whetstone Golf Club

Going back to earlier in the evening when I was at site 22, these are a couple of images that I was particularly pleased with and the latter pair were very near misses of owls in flight, dooohhhh!!!

Site 22, Blaby - Whetstone Gorse Site B

Site 22 - Worming!

Near miss 1

Near miss 2

1 comment:

  1. Well done mate! I would be very happy to have achieved the first of your "near miss" shots! 200 by the end of 2010??

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