Vole’s eye view
If it’s a lucky vole, that is, watching from the grass as the owl skims overhead. A less lucky vole would see that yellow glare swivel in its direction, followed probably by not much else. Despite a glorious sunny morning … Continued
Locked and loaded
Conditions were a little tricky at the owl field this afternoon: there were five owls in the air (good), but they kept getting into conflict with each other and flying high, rather than hunting low across the field (bad), and … Continued
Family life
Whenever I go to Slimbridge I take a pretty set route around the hides, from the Rushy screen down to the Estuary Tower, then circling round to South Lake and the New Piece hides, and finishing with Zeiss. In the winter … Continued
Owl of the day
“Did you miss all this?” said HB at the end of the afternoon – meaning the three owl-free winters we’ve been through, rather than the biting cold on the top of the scarp, and the long hours spent standing around … Continued
Irresistible
I wasn’t going to go – I really wasn’t – but the light was good, and the forecast was reasonable… and in the end the siren call of the Cotswold owls was too strong, and I went. The lane was … Continued
Happy New Bird
I slept in late today, and by the time I surfaced the bright morning light was already fading. Even with the cloud building though, I couldn’t resist a trip to Cheltenham, where I knew that at least eight Waxwings were … Continued
Chipping Campden
The first time R and I drove down this road he said in tones of disbelief, “Some lucky b*****s actually live here!” Which they definitely do, because I was scowled at by some of them today as I wandered around … Continued
Winchcombe
R and I hit the sales in Cheltenham this morning – almost unbelievably, given that we both hate shopping almost as much as we hate crowds of people. We bought new sheets, towels and wine glasses in John Lewis, and … Continued
Christmas spirit
Well. That was a crazy day. After breakfast R and I went to Waitrose to buy Christmas drinks and a few other bits and pieces, then sat in the café for a while over a leisurely coffee and croissant, doing … Continued