Manchester Shorties

A hunting Short Eared Owl bathed in late afternoon sunshine with the rolling Pennine hills in the background. It would not go amiss in any of the Pennines National Parks but this photo was taken within five miles of Manchester City Town hall!! So far this winter I have known of four others all hunting voles close to the industrial scene. Quite clearly these Owls are attracted to an abundance of voles and must be part of the big influx last autumn of Scandinavian birds. Within the next five weeks they will return eastwards with Long Eared Owls that came across with them and our voles will be left in peace.Click here

The wet weather continues unabated and all the action comes from the garden. Two juvenile male Sparrowhawks clashed on the 6th chasing the thirty one Goldfinches that we had present that day. The Long Tailed Tit flock increased to ten on the 4th and the sight of three Buzzards together over the house one day would have been unthinkable up to ten years ago.