Barn Owl visit

[Carol]

   I was standing at my window with budgie in hand when a big dark form flew past my window and landed on the Oil Tank.  It was a Barn owl  wooopeee.   I put 'Twiggy' back into her cage, shouted for OH to bring my camera and stood and waited and watched him/her from the front door.   The movement made him/her fly off but I guess I will now have a nightly watch for this magnificent bird.   I sort of guessed one was around, because I found an owls feather this morning on my lawn.   

There is plenty voles in this garden, it is full of holes from their tunnelling.   

[queenbee]

Hi Carol,

Watch your budgie, We have a Cockateal called Zeus, we put him in the conservatory during the day. I was busy in the Kitchen when I heard the most awful din and a loud bang. I rushed in and looked out of the window and there was a very stunned Kestrel on the patio. Zeus was scarred to death. The kestrel must have seen him through the glass and flew at him. It is the nearest I have ever been to a Kestrel. He pulled himself together and flew away. He has been back a couple of times so I know he is OK. What lovely birds.

[Carol]

I have had a couple of Sparrowhawk visits with Twiggy looking out the window.   It swooped up to the window leaving its feather marks behind.  I also had a sparrowhawk crash into the conservatoryand landed ont he floor.  It was stunned and I went to pick it up with a towel and looked into its beautiful hawk eyes, full of evil!!!   The bird scuttered along the floor and out the door.  Twiggy only seems to be spooked with the Swallows.  Maybe its their swooping back and forth that scares her.  Daft bird.

[GrannieAnnie]

I've just been reading a book which talks of a snowy owl (2 feet high) picking off chickens, one per day.
We have seen Barred Owls in our neighborhood and when they fly by they're soundless. And spooky.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If it was dark, are you sure it wasn't a tawny? Barn owls are light-coloured.

[Carol]

No, it was the barn Owl.   They are quite common in the Borders and I know where it will be nesting.  Tawny Owls are not so common around here.   I also saw it fly off and confirmed its outline. 

I will be keeping an eye open tonight again.  I am sure it will come out around dusk and quarter the field behind the house.