Welcome To The Kingfisher Wildlife Diaries – John Bailey
December 15th 2009
Norfolk Barn Owls
For those of you who make our otter weekend, you will almost inevitably see several barn owls in your walks along the Wensum valley. It's like barn owls and the valley go together like ham and eggs.
It's true, that there are not the number of old, brick and flint barns that there were over twenty years ago. Many have fallen down and others have been made into renovated homes. However, other things are working in the barn owls favour.
Along the valley, you will come across many, more modern, agricultural structures often long disused and providing perfect barn owl habitat.
You will also find that the flood plains now are much less interfered with by man than they were just twenty years ago. Hedges are no longer being grubbed out and are often being replanted and this encourages the number of rodents upon which barn owls so largely feed.
The return of the otters, also, has reduced the number of mink considerably. In its turn this, once again, has allowed small rodents to flourish and, as a result, the number of barn owls.
You will see barn owls just about anywhere along the flood plains close to Kingfishers. But, if you spend a couple of days watching intently, you will realise there are ‘hot' areas...
The best times to be out, undoubtedly, are early and late, as dawn is breaking and as dusk is falling.
But not always. You will often see barn owls hunting during the brightest parts of the day, especially as spring develops and they have their young to feed.
It's a glorious sight to see them hunting the flood plains, hanging, swooping, gliding, sometimes settling on an old gatepost. You will be amazed by their Persil whiteness! They make the whitest snowflake look drab.
Really, at Kingfishers, with a pair of wellies and some binoculars round your neck, you can have just the greatest of wildlife experiences.