16/05/2025 Smithy's Hide, Chorley, Lancashire

Tawny Owl: It doesn't happen often if at all but I've struck gold, 18 karat gold!

With thanks to David Gibson I found a photography hide that not only offers the best views you could ask for of tawny owl but a hide with a really great set up too. Smithy's Hide in Chorley.

 

This Friday was my birthday, turning old, so to cheer myself up and I booked in with Kris. We arrived just before 7pm and after a brief and friendly induction from Sue we were soon joined by the male tawny owl. It perched up in the day light as we were talking to Sue standing outside the hide. 

This was good start, within 20 minutes of waiting in the hide the male tawny returned and put on a super show, we had dozens of visits throughout the night. 

I was blown away by the views of photographic opportunities this hide owl gave us.

Sue Smith who set up Smithy's Hide has worked hard created a unique space to photograph wild birds and tawny owls. Her photography hide is equipped with heaters, access to toilet facilities, double beanbags, scrim netting over the viewing shutters, mobile phone charger, hooks to locate your camera bags and coats and comfortable padded seats. 

Sue has a great set up with the hide overlooking a well constructed reflection pool, lots of natural perches and external lighting. Everything you could ask for, and the start of the show a wild tawny owl that comes within a few feet of the hide and 

Tawny owls are our biggest common owl, familiar in Britain’s woodland, parks and gardens. They are famous for their ‘too-wit too-woo’ call often referred to as being the song of the generic owl.

But it isn’t the call of a single bird, but instead made by a male and female calling to each other.The female makes a ‘too-wit’ sound and the male answers with ‘too-woo’! 

Sue has put in an enormous amount of effort in to gaining the owls trust who come to the hide very night. 

For anyone who has looked into booking or have booked a wildlife photography hide will know the rates can be, well lets say pricey. Well to book into the Smithy's Hide with will cost you £20 per person, that right, 20 quid, peanuts in comparison to some other local wildlife hides. 

I will put a link to the Smithy's Hide facebook page below, here you can join and DM for bookings. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1224753778841421/

Keep the good work up Sue, it's all paying off. 

08/05/2023 Haslam Park, Preston, Lancashire

Tawny Owl: After reaching out to Andrew Bradley who was kind enough to give me some gen on some showy tawny owl near Preston, Dawn and I set off to spend the last of the Bank Holiday and get some fresh air.

We arrived to see and owlett sat up in a tree, out in full view just ff the main pathway, it took us a bit more time to pick out the adult posting high up in a pine.

Haslam Park sits alongside the Lancaster Canal and still boasts many of its original and unique features from when it was first built. The park's ornate Grade II listed gates at two of its main entrances are just some of the features that make this Edwardian park stand out from the rest.

Tawny owl typically remain close all year round to their territory in which they have nested and they have pair-bonds that last for life. Their first territorial fights occur as early as October and November, the male determining the territory, the female the nesting hole. The transition from autumn to winter is marked by a final establishment of territories and pre-breeding behaviour. The female and male tend more and more to roost together. 

Courtship feeding begins in the winter period (December to February), becoming progressively centred on the future nest site. In the UK the Tawny Owl usually begins breeding in mid-March where they can end up with two to six eggs, but sometimes only one. 

The fluffy white owletts branch out and live the nest at around 28 to 37 days. Tawny owls are dependent on their parents for food up to three months after leaving the nest. As the young owls gradually learn to fend for themselves they also establish territories.

Not particularly rare bird, in fact tawny owls are the most common owl found in the UK, and one of the coolest. 

Big thanks Andrew mate.

12/06/2015 Cumbria

Lesser Whitethroat: I spent the week surveying alongside Mr David Haigh a legend from the Wirral lot. He and I came across a pair of Lesser Whitethroat on a Breeding Birds Survey and I decided to go back in my free time and try for some pictures.

In typical fashion the birds were extremely difficult to pin down, I must have taken at least 300 frames consisting of the back of the bird, blurred branches and tantalising glimpses of the skulky bird.

In the end one of the birds flew across the road and and gave me some blinding full frontal views for only a few seconds before dipping back in to the undergrowth.

This gave me enough time to rattle off a couple of frames capturing these two beauties, time well spent.


Tawny Owl: One another trip out earlier in the week Dave and I were joined by Kenny D. We took a long walk in the village we were staying in and caught up with the local Tawny Owl and several Spot fly.

26/04/2015 Leighton Moss RSPB

Marsh Harrier: Its funny how and when things turn up.

I've been doing some breeding bird surveys up in Cumbria and passing Leighton Moss every week for the past few months, and I never thought I would pick up a PBG here!

Great to see another UKMEGA and to bag another life tick, this was a bird I was looking forward to catching up with after missing the Hollingworth bird in 2010.

Tawny Owl: Great supporting cast too, including superb views of two male Marsh Harrier and Tawny Owl on the footpath right outside the hide.

Pied-billed Grebe:  Disappointingly this is the best I could manage considering the distance and using my iPhone and scope!  

However if you want to see some awesome images of the same bird just a few hours earlier have a look at Zac Hinchcliffe's blog

http://zacswildlifeblog.blogspot.co.uk/

24/03/2013 Martin Mere WWT

Ruff: If you were not a birder and saw this bird you would totally think it was a different species to the Ruff, but its still a Ruff, they can just be very variable.

But what a STUNNING bird!

Tawny Owl: Apart from the close views of Ruff, Black Tailed Godwit and around 400 Whoopers from the Swan Link Hide the day was pretty quiet probably due to how windy it was as I didn't see a single raptor.

Until me and my birding pal Garry were about to go home and spotted this Tawny Owl near the Janet Kear Hide. The bird then flew off towards the zoo part of the reserve.

 Redwing: After seeing the Tawny Owl we soon left and were happily surprised to see loads of winter thrushes around the car park area.  

Fieldfare: I saw at least 8 Redwing 5 Fieldfare, reports of 2 Song Thrush and several Black Birds.

Overall it turned out to be a good day with a slow start.

19/10/2012 Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Nuthatch: My birthday and Christmas’s have all come at once, now I am a proud owner of a Canon 100-400mm 4.5 L series lens and I am made up! I was on my own on the reserve today and unable to get out of the Visitor Centre to play with it so I stayed around the feeders.



I placed some nuts one the log below the feeders and the well names nuthatch was straight on them hovering each one up before the rats and squirrels got to them.

Tawny Owl: I was also lucky enough to see this tawny owl spying on me from beneath the ivy, brilliant bird to see.

16,17,18/03/2012 Coniston Lake District

Great Spotted Woodpecker: A three night stay at a beautiful cottage in Coniston with Dawn and friends turned out to be one of the best birding trips I have had in a very long time.

In the garden of the cottage there was one feeder and we where supplied with bird feed which turned out to be very productive. Almost as soon as it was topped up we had a visit from a GS Woodpecker and a vast array of garden birds who stripped the feeder in hours.

Nuthatch: Nuthatch where also very active on the feeders theses guys are very fast and I never really realised how big they are, compared to the other garden birds.

Coal Tit: A first for the year for me and great to see so close up. I was really impressed with the garden and feeder.

Dipper: on the second day we all took a trip to Coniston Lake and came across a fast flowing stream where there was two very active dipper possible a breeding  pair as I saw them collecting nesting material.


This bird was another lifer for me and what a star bird. Supurb.


Great Tit: Taken from the window. This was a gret place to drink tea in front of thetal haeting and set great close shots.

Willow Tit: After spending hours awaiting a glimpses  of one of theses guys at Martin Mere is was really pleasing to see so many so close up at the cottage.

At least 3 Willow Tits where regular visitors and where not shy as they fed off theround around my feet and off the bench right in front of me.

Willow Tit & Coal Tit: Another picture taken from the window with a nice cup of Yorkshire Tea while standing infront of the heating.

Siskin: This female was only seen once on the first day for only a few seconds and then on the last day as we were leaving so it was a quick dash for the camera.




The stunning yellow male was hanging around the bushes but did not go to the feeders. It was such a shame but still great to see the female at close quarters.

Tawny Owl: On the first night i got the whole house in to the garden to listen to two Tawny Owls calling which inspired me to get up at 5.30am on the last day.

And what a great decision, as I saw three Tawny Owls very close up perching and in flight and hared them making some hell of a noise, possibly a territorial or threat call.

Willow Tit: Other birds of intrest where 2 Kingfisher, 1 female Goosander, Golden Eye, Tuffted Duck and  GC Grebe on Coniston Water.


And thanks to Sam we spotted a Deer along the roadside we think it might of been a Roe Deer. Great find in s stunning place.

Snow Bunting: After a gruelling climb up The Old Man of Coniston I was delighted to see a flock of Snow Bunting at the summit.


Unfortunately the weather closed in just as I reached the top, behind Dawn I may add so they pic was a bit fuzzy but sill great record shot of a great bird in a great place.