Page 25 - Out Birding Autumn 2023

climbed higher. We tidied the garden, collected pellets for dissection, and left the owls to themselves. I am always compromised by the concept of ringing. At all times, my concern for the owls was respected, and it was my decision to go ahead with ringing. Maybe this owlet will, one day, provide some new insight into the secret lives of Long- eared owls? The assembled throng gradually dispersed and our village returned to its typical peaceful state.
The cacophony of alarm calls an hour later told me that Mum had headed back to the nest, but next morning it was empty. Owlets of many species leave the nest as early as possible and dissipate into their surroundings for safety. So, I hoped "my" owlet was safe, having fledged naturally rather than in response to a human approaching its nest. At dusk, I waited for the male to come in, but this time both adults were flying over- head. I slept in my loft room with the skylight slightly open that night, waking at 2am to hear the usual tawnies calling, their owlets also having fledged. I stuck my head out of the skylight, and could hear the pine martens shuffling about in the garden. But, also, I heard the unmistakable, squeaky call of a Long-eared owlet in one of my rhododendrons, well-hidden but communicating with Mum and Dad who were again duetting together in the trees.
And people ask me if it's lonely living in these here hills? When am I ever alone? The number of fledglings is growing rapidly. The finches are eating me out of house and home, the first Willow Warbler fledglings are in the garden, and my Long-eared owlet has safely fledged, destined for a secret life beyond human detection. That is unless one day its ring is read by someone somewhere and reported.
Afyeet, Neil Hammatt
WhatÕs The Difference? Answers
1. Males are bigger. 9.
2. Willow Warbler legs are pale, Chiff-
chaff are dark. 10.
3. Rooks have shaggy feathers cover-
ing the upper leg; Crows don’t. 11.
4. Marsh Tit has glossy black crown; 12.
Willow Tit’s is dull and sooty.
5. Young Swallows do not have long 13.
tail streamers.
6. In winter they have a white half 14.
collar on their throat.
7. Bri􏰀sh has a chestnut belly; 15.
con􏰀nental has black.
8. Long-eared use an old Crow’s nest;
Short-eared nest on ground.
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Crossbill prefer spruce seeds; Sco􏰁sh Crossbill prefer pine. Whinchat has white outer-tail feathers; Stonechat do not.
Adult is barred; juvenile is streaky. Velvet Scoter have a white wing panel; Common Scoter do not. Ringed Plover has a white wing bar; Li􏰂le Ringed has all-brown wings.
A supercilium is above the eye; an eye-stripe goes though the eye. Eider feed on molluscs; Cormorant on fish.