Winter wildlife shots

I have been through a poor patch with the wildlife cameras over the last months only capturing squirrels, mice, badgers and common garden birds. 

Grey squirrels enjoying this mast year for acorns and hazel nuts

Blue tits feeding on insects

Badger cross the beck at night

Mouse running around - I get many of these shots and they are always busily running and jumping around - I am not sure what they are doing. They appear nervous and indecisive and are perhaps responding to their awareness of predators. See below.

I frequently pick up footage of the Sparrowhawk family that lives here and I hear them making their murdurous cry when at the wood.

The Wren is one of the most common sights and sounds at the wood so it is good to see this one feeding on the beck

The Song Thrush is also a common sight

They are still good to see on the camera but just once in a while I do hit lucky. I tried new camera positions onwards that the leaves and fallen from the trees so there are clearer branches to place the camera along in the hope of catching something less common. I gathered the footage recently and was delighted to see this selection of Barn Owl footage. I have seen the Barn Owl fly over head on occasions but have only picked up Tawny Owls on camera before (see earlier blogs). 

The heart shaped face is so distinctive. Colours are confusing with the night camera - Barn Owls are white faced while Tanwy Owls are well tawny coloured!

Tawny owl in the day hunting by the beck taken in 2024.

I did pick up hundreds of 'empty' shots on the camera as the two bits of twig at the top of the page triggered it during windy days and nights. That means I also picked up this lovely clear night and full moon which was taken in between the Barn Owl visiting this spot.

I will treasure this footage and the knowledge that the Barn Owl is a visitor to the wood as well as the Tawny Owl. They are majestic to see flying silently and I will be on the look out for this visitor.