The owl files – Chapter 2: Oh no! . . . this is embarrassing

20 March 2021

Oh no! . . . this is embarrassing!

Yesterday evening the female left the oak tree and headed for ‘her’ spot in the corner. I couldn’t see the male but a while later (+/- 18:20) the excited chattering of the bulbuls made me look out of the front window. There was the male perched on the stairs in front of the Centre and peering around with incredibly exaggerated circular movements of his head. Although it was not yet fully dark, he suddenly went off crazily chasing after something – looking like he didn’t have the faintest idea of what he was doing. HAS HE EVEN CAUGHT ANYTHING BIGGER THAN INSECTS UP TO NOW ?

If this is the best he can do – the chances of the pair successfully rearing young this season are looking remote!

By Geoff Lockwood