Return to moorhen home page
Return to section index
Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Birds - Barn Owl Page 2
Image Taken on 30 Nov 2017
at 05:26 Image of day on 01 Jan 2018
Near the end of the night this Barn Owl made a 20 minute visit to the meadow
post. The arrival flight dipped into the sense beam and triggered the camera
with the Owl well behind it and out of focus. The Bird stayed for 20 minutes
scoping the plot quite actively. Half way through the stay the bird atypically
(for our Barn owls) changed foot position, even if only a slight swivel.
Ref: 20180101_d01_20171130_0526_007-0545_031_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 21 minute visit (selected) 01+03+05+10+11 of 12 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2017
at 21:53 Image of day on 01 Nov 2017
Our first Barn Owl Sightings since 25 Feb 2017 (about 7 months) turned out to be an extended
affair with 6 landings on the post. This landing and stay lasted for almost half an hour.
Ref: 20171101_d01_20170922_2153_001+2208_022+2155_004_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 28m visit (1st sighting for months) 01+12+02 of 17 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2017
at 21:56 Image of day on 01 Nov 2017
Some of the more interesting images from the first half-hour visit.
Ref: 20171101_d01_20170922_2156_005-2218_035_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 28m visit (1st sighting for months) 03+07+09+16 of 17 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 02 Oct 2017
at 04:05 Image of day on 08 Nov 2017
This Barn Owl made a couple of short visits, this landing shows the length of
the feather-covered legs usually 'lost' against the body feathers.
Ref: 20171108_d01_20171002_0405_009_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 3 minute visit then single frame 1 of 4 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2017
at 23:45 Image of day on 01 Nov 2017
Four further visits brought back no prey, but provided a couple of portraits.
Ref: 20171101_d01_20170922_2345_059+2312+053_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 4 short visits 3m+single+5m+single (selected) 6+3 of 6 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 08 Dec 2019
at 18:23 Image of day on 15 Jan 2020
A Barn Owl with no leg ring makes several visits to the meadow post over one night.
The feathers look very scruffy, most likely from one of many gusty winds overnight this week.
Ref: 20200115_d01_20191208_1823_136+1824_138+1827_144_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 6 mins @ meadow post blustery wind 1+2+5 of 6 (r-l montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 28 Dec 2019
at 18:44 Image of day on 29 Jan 2020
Oh what a gorgeous bird is the Barn Owl!
This species of owl just must not let the delicate feathers get drenched, so hunting
over the past few weeks has been very restricted by the endless rain.
Ref: 20200129_d01_20191228_1844_041_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 7 minute visit to meadow post 1 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Nov 2017
at 22:12 Image of day on 09 Dec 2017
Here our Barn Owl lands with the Alulae both prominent half way along the top of
each wing as the bird slows to almost nothing to touch-down.
Ref: 20171209_d01_20171104_2212_016_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 8 minute visit 1 of 8 (adjusted crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Nov 2017
at 22:12 Image of day on 09 Dec 2017
This Barn Owl visit (the second of two a few minutes apart) had a very active hunting
approach you see here below the landing. It was full moon, so the Owl was undoubtedly
looking as well as listening for prey.
For the single image above we 'Photoshopped' out the sprouting corn stem that
detracted from the symmetry. We need a ladder or steps to 'weed' the top of the
pole so it tends to get left.
Ref: 20171209_d01_20171104_2212_016-2219_025_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 8 minute visit 1+2+5+7+8 of 8 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2017
at 22:25 Image of day on 02 Nov 2017
About 7 minutes after the first departure the Barn Owl returns triumphant with a
rodent in the beak. The bird (as usual) moves the rodent under it's talons, but
leaves it there for 9 minutes before finally swallowing it's prize. We suspect
that during the absence from the post another rodent went 'down the hatch' and
there wasn't room to swallow another yet!
Ref: 20171102_d01_20170922_2225_038+2226_039+2233_048_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 9m visit with rodent (selected) 1+2+6 of 6 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2017
at 22:26 Image of day on 02 Nov 2017
This detail from the middle of the montage shows something you rarely see - both
halves of an Owl's beak. Normally the bottom half of the beak is snuggled down
in the feathers giving the characteristic top of beak pointing downwards
appearance you see in almost every owl image.
Ref: 20171102_d01_20170922_2226_039_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 9m visit with rodent (selected) 2 of 6 (crop detail for beak)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Oct 2015
at 01:24 Image of day on 02 Dec 2015
This Barn Owl (without any leg ring) occupied the post from just
after midnight for about 4 and a half hours, counting 5
'landings' at the post. Landing 2 arrived with a rodent in the
beak. Unfortunately the Owl consumed the rodent with back to
camera (middle image) but then turned round and showed us what a
satisfied smug and sleepy Owl looks like for about 15 minutes.
Ref: 20151202_d01_20151005_0124_084+0125_085+0142_107_fb6 barn owl (no ring) visit 2 - rodent in beak & eating it 1+2+14 of 18 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Oct 2015
at 00:39 Image of day on 02 Dec 2015
This Barn Owl (without any leg ring) occupied the post from just
after midnight for about 4 and a half hours, counting 5
'landings' at the post. Landings show a lot of variety,
so here are landings 1, 3 and 4.
Ref: 20151202_d01_20151005_0039_027+0152_120+0357_142_fb6 barn owl (no ring) visit arrivals1+3+4 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 26 Feb 2014
at 02:44 Image of day on 05 Apr 2014
A Barn Owl visited our post in the meadow 3 nights running
The next night we saw the Un-ringed Barn Owl which seemed to doze off just before
flying away after some 15 minutes.
Ref: 20140405_d01_20140226_0244_002+0255_017+0257_019 barn owl (no ring) visit for 15 minutes (selected) 1+6+8 of 8 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Mar 2015
at 18:38 Image of day on 28 Apr 2015
The last Barn owl visit recently - this Owl is starting to visit
less as the nights shorten.
Ref: 20150428_d01_20150319_1838_002_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) 1 minute visit 1 of 2 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 02 Jan 2015
at 03:17 Image of day on 14 Feb 2015
In the early hours of the following morning the same Barn Owl
returned for 10 minutes in a strong wind. In the rightmost image
you can see how the soft feathers (that allow near silent flight)
have been spread and flattened into a disc of grey on the head.
Ref: 20150214_d01_20150102_0317_035+0320_039+0323_043_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) 10 minute visit early hours 1+2+4 of 7 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Jan 2015
at 00:49 Image of day on 22 Feb 2015
This Barn Owl made this majestic arrival and spent about 20
minutes exploring the land around the post with eyes and hearing.
The wind was near gale force (it brought down several branches)
and was making a mess of the elegant Owl as you see lower right.
Ref: 20150222_d01_20150116_0049_024-0101_040_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) 19 minute visit 1+4+6+8 of 8 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Dec 2014
at 00:11 Image of day on 01 Feb 2015
Over one night we had 3 visits by the same Barn Owl. This pairing
is from the second visit.
The third visit in indexed
separately after a Tawny owl on the same night.
Ref: 20150201_d01_20141220_0011_011+0013_014_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) 2 visits over 20mins 4+6 of 6 (montage 2nd visit)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Jan 2015
at 16:57 Image of day on 14 Feb 2015
We watched this 24 minute stay by a Barn Owl shortly after dark
as a misty image on the CCTV repeater. The bird was very active,
atypically moving around a lot on the top of the post. Normally
they stay where they land and use that wonderful neck to look in
any direction they want.
Ref: 20150214_d01_20150101_1657_002-1721_033_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) 24 minute visit early evening 01-07_10 of 10 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 08 Jan 2016
at 07:02 Image of day on 10 Feb 2016
The following morning this OTHER Barn Owl (with ring on its right
leg and pristine feathers) made a 3 minute visit.
This bird normally stands on just its left (unringed) leg and we
have wondered whether the ring bothers the bird. But here it is
standing on just it's ringed leg without obvious problems.
Ref: 20160210_d01_20160108_0702_045+0703_047+0704_048_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) 3 mins stay frosty early morning 1+3+4 of 4 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Comments and requests for image use
To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full
resolution image, send us an email including the reference or
the date for the image you are interested in.
All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-