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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 12:58:07 GMT
Nice piece today in The Gruadian.
Aided by humankind for a change.
I adore owls, all owls, but Eurasian Eagle owls are my absolute favourite. Was lucky enough to work closely with a raptor rescue group for some years so got quite quite close to some magnificent raptors.
Go English Barn Owls!
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Jun 11, 2020 13:09:44 GMT
One for you, maryland...not sure about the music, but it's a nice outcome.
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 11, 2020 13:30:36 GMT
Owls are stupid
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Post by felonious on Jun 11, 2020 13:49:01 GMT
Nice piece today in The Gruadian. Aided by humankind for a change. I adore owls, all owls, but Eurasian Eagle owls are my absolute favourite. Was lucky enough to work closely with a raptor rescue group for some years so got quite quite close to some magnificent raptors. Go English Barn Owls!It's the Grauniad  |
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jun 11, 2020 13:49:32 GMT
Plenty here in this corner of Wales and they turn up in the most inconvenient places. I was firing one of the trains back in early March, looked up between shovels and what myself and the driver thought was a buzzard standing on the rail turns out to be a huge barn owl. We slowed right down and it refused to shift just stayed where it was looking at the engine. We'd almost stopped the train and were practically on top of it at which point it jumped off the rail and walked into the hedgerow. Beautiful big bird but with real attitude!.
They nest next to the railway in an old deserted stone and slate barn so they're quite accustomed to the traffic.
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 13:57:50 GMT
Plenty here in this corner of Wales and they turn up in the most inconvenient places. I was firing one of the trains back in early March, looked up between shovels and what myself and the driver thought was a buzzard standing on the rail turns out to be a huge barn owl. We slowed right down and it refused to shift just stayed where it was looking at the engine. We'd almost stopped the train and were practically on top of it at which point it jumped off the rail and walked into the hedgerow. Beautiful big bird but with real attitude!.They nest next to the railway in an old deserted stone and slate barn so they're quite accustomed to the traffic. . Don't you bluddy dare.  |
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 14:00:59 GMT
Nice piece today in The Gruadian. Aided by humankind for a change. I adore owls, all owls, but Eurasian Eagle owls are my absolute favourite. Was lucky enough to work closely with a raptor rescue group for some years so got quite quite close to some magnificent raptors. Go English Barn Owls!It's the Grauniad It cretinly is. 'Scuse me......... ppppppppt! I miss that ol' spitoon............. |
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 14:01:37 GMT
People who think owls are stupid are stupid. so there
plus a fou sand
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Post by butlerstbob on Jun 11, 2020 14:03:44 GMT
We regularly hear a pair of tawny owls behind our garden and last week heard a short eared owl screech several times late one night along with the odd barn owl screech, seen a couple of barn owls in flight down the dark lanes at night and its a wonderful sight..... Yet to see any in the daytime though
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 14:05:48 GMT
Nice piece today in The Gruadian. Aided by humankind for a change. I adore owls, all owls, but Eurasian Eagle owls are my absolute favourite. Was lucky enough to work closely with a raptor rescue group for some years so got quite quite close to some magnificent raptors.Go English Barn Owls! "Raptors????!!! You bred RAPTORS?????" (It's a film quote, that's all...... no action necessary..... just couldn't resist  ) |
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 14:05:58 GMT
Plenty here in this corner of Wales and they turn up in the most inconvenient places. I was firing one of the trains back in early March, looked up between shovels and what myself and the driver thought was a buzzard standing on the rail turns out to be a huge barn owl. We slowed right down and it refused to shift just stayed where it was looking at the engine. We'd almost stopped the train and were practically on top of it at which point it jumped off the rail and walked into the hedgerow. Beautiful big bird but with real attitude!. They nest next to the railway in an old deserted stone and slate barn so they're quite accustomed to the traffic. A beautiful big bird? I have my doubts as to barn owl then? BOs max out at about a little over a foot. I do know you are in Kite country, Buzzards etc so I know you have seen “big birds” Whilst every animal is different I also doubt that would be the behaviors of a small, generally nervous, barn owl. |
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 14:09:54 GMT
Plenty here in this corner of Wales and they turn up in the most inconvenient places. I was firing one of the trains back in early March, looked up between shovels and what myself and the driver thought was a buzzard standing on the rail turns out to be a huge barn owl. We slowed right down and it refused to shift just stayed where it was looking at the engine. We'd almost stopped the train and were practically on top of it at which point it jumped off the rail and walked into the hedgerow. Beautiful big bird but with real attitude!. They nest next to the railway in an old deserted stone and slate barn so they're quite accustomed to the traffic. A beautiful big bird? I have my doubts as to barn owl then? BOs max out at about a little over a foot. I do know you are in Kite country, Buzzards etc so I know you have seen “big birds” Whilst every animal is different I also doubt that would be the behaviors of a small, generally nervous, barn owl. Unless it was on coke...... Or one of Murph or The Queen Mum’s G&Ts |
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 14:10:24 GMT
People who think owls are stupid are stupid. so there
plus a fou sand
I (and the rest of us) thought you were going to say "Yoghourt has a culture - Australia doesn't", MD.  |
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Post by somersetstokie on Jun 11, 2020 14:11:32 GMT
As Marylandstokie said:
A beautiful big bird? I have my doubts as to barn owl then? BOs max out at about a little over a foot. I do know you are in Kite country, Buzzards etc so I know you have seen “big birds” Whilst every animal is different I also doubt that would be the behaviors of a small, generally nervous, barn owl.
Barn Owls are very beautiful and certainly distinctive, so I would doubt if this was a sighting of one, but whatever, it seems to have been a memorable experience.
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 11, 2020 14:23:16 GMT
People who think owls are stupid are stupid. so there
plus a fou sand
I resemble that remark!😁 |
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 14:29:26 GMT
People who think owls are stupid are stupid. so there
plus a fou sand
I resemble that remark!😁 I didn’t get where I am today by not recognizing a good, intelligent whoosh when I see one. (curtesy nod to Reginald Perrin) |
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Post by wagsastokie on Jun 11, 2020 14:29:42 GMT
Was out in the car Tuesday morning around 7am going to train my pigeons and a barn owl flew across the road just in front of me
And a few years ago whilst playing lawn bowls we used to get a barn owl fly across the green at dusk quite regular
Still to this day I don't understand the reluctance of the rspb to reintroduce the European Eagle owl back Into the country
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 14:36:05 GMT
Was out in the car Tuesday morning around 7am going to train my pigeons and a barn owl flew across the road just in front of me And a few years ago whilst playing lawn bowls we used to get a barn owl fly across the green at dusk quite regular Still to this day I don't understand the reluctance of the rspb to reintroduce the European Eagle owl back Into the country +1 And, in the days of the pandemic, as fishing is reintroduced in Ole Md, one of the first trips and there is a big old Great White basking off Ocean City Md. Get ‘em sharks! |
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Post by raythesailor on Jun 11, 2020 14:38:55 GMT
I do like a Big Bird with Attitude.🤪
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Post by somersetstokie on Jun 11, 2020 14:41:47 GMT
As regular readers of the Oatcake might be aware, one of my specialist interests is in Ghosts and Hauntings. I regularly go to sites of reputed interest to watch or investigate. It is surprising, particularly in remote country locations, around ruins and in villages, how many places with associated accounts of spectral sightings, turn out to be the favoured haunts of Barn Owls, often going back through many generations. Traditionally Barn Owls have liked to make a home in Church Towers and are consequently seen frequently in graveyards as they take flight at dusk. There is certainly an argument that the Barn Owl (or Screech Owl) particularly, is responsible for many spooky reports, and some occurences might be put down to the presence of their eerie white shapes appearing through the gathering gloom, or their chilling screech being heard in the darkness. Whatever the speculation I can assure you that if you are out and about in an area where there is every chance that you might encounter a ghost, whether real or imagined, the sudden appearance of a Barn Owl certainly adds to the atmosphere. I could imagine that if you were of an impressionable nature it could easily terrify you. Spooky!  |
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Post by henry on Jun 11, 2020 14:46:05 GMT
I do like a Big Bird with Attitude.🤪 Jo Brand? |
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 14:46:17 GMT
A beautiful big bird? I have my doubts as to barn owl then? BOs max out at about a little over a foot. I do know you are in Kite country, Buzzards etc so I know you have seen “big birds” Whilst every animal is different I also doubt that would be the behaviors of a small, generally nervous, barn owl.
Unless it was on coke......
Or one of Murph or The Queen Mum’s G&Ts
Rather than G&T, MD, the old girl used to drink Gin and Dubonnet mixed, and the Queen still does - it's called a Za Za cocktail and is her fave. 'How to…' details will be given in the next chapter. I tried it once, but couldn't drink it - I tried, bravely, but it was MUCH too strong & felt as if it was fetchin' the enamel off me teeth --- I had to get Parker to keep piling lemonade and more ice cubes into it, up to the top, just to be able to eventually get it down at all. Strange, really, because for me both G&T and Dubonnet & Lemonade are absolutely delish in their own rights and always register as high as it's possible to get on the CM wine cellar's Murphometer. *************** Chapter 2
Here you are, peeps, as promised - a Za Za cocktail - the Queen's favourite: Serves 1 2 parts Dubonnet Rouge 1 part Gordon's Gin 1 pipless lemon slice 2 ice cubes, plus more for shaker Fill a bar shaker with ice, add ingredients, stir and strain into cocktail glass. Top with lemon wedge and two ice cubes. *************** But cop a load o' THIS: The ice 'cubes' she has in it HAVE TO BE ROUND - so that they're not too noisy clinking together in her glass as this annoys her! Prince Philip designed a special mould to make round ice cubes - well - ice 'spheres' - precisely for this reason and it always HAS to be used for her ice cubes spheres. Gimmee a break, Queenie, you're a wuss! (Oh, I do agree about the lemon slice being sans pips, though. ) |
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 15:08:03 GMT
I do like a Big Bird with Attitude.🤪 Don't YOU start, Raymondo........ |
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 15:10:56 GMT
I do like a Big Bird with Attitude.🤪 Don't YOU start, Raymondo........ Don’t we all Dont we alll...... Attachments:
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Post by murphthesurf on Jun 11, 2020 15:11:13 GMT
I do like a Big Bird with Attitude.🤪 Jo Brand? Good call, Enners. Sensible chap. |
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Post by marylandstoke on Jun 11, 2020 15:27:23 GMT
Good call, Enners. Sensible chap. Used to play pool with her of a Sunday night, in a different life. Lovely lady. |
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jun 11, 2020 16:21:18 GMT
Plenty here in this corner of Wales and they turn up in the most inconvenient places. I was firing one of the trains back in early March, looked up between shovels and what myself and the driver thought was a buzzard standing on the rail turns out to be a huge barn owl. We slowed right down and it refused to shift just stayed where it was looking at the engine. We'd almost stopped the train and were practically on top of it at which point it jumped off the rail and walked into the hedgerow. Beautiful big bird but with real attitude!. They nest next to the railway in an old deserted stone and slate barn so they're quite accustomed to the traffic. A beautiful big bird? I have my doubts as to barn owl then? BOs max out at about a little over a foot. I do know you are in Kite country, Buzzards etc so I know you have seen “big birds” Whilst every animal is different I also doubt that would be the behaviors of a small, generally nervous, barn owl. The Buzzards usually just sit on the fence posts and watch the train go by or lurk in the woods and fly in front of the engine. Size wise the Kites are bigger and generally keep their distance only occasionally getting close to the track. Quite possibly a Kite then rather than an Owl. Definitely no shortage of food though in the shape of dead lambs, badgers and the odd cow. Various voles and rabbits aplenty as well. |
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Post by xchpotter on Jun 11, 2020 22:05:15 GMT
Barn owls are so cool. When I worked nights and my driving took me through the countryside they almost had an angelic glow about them, like a ghost when they appeared in the headlights. Magnificent engineering by nature yet again.
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Post by somersetstokie on Jun 11, 2020 23:08:52 GMT
Barn owls are so cool. When I worked nights and my driving took me through the countryside they almost had an angelic glow about them, like a ghost when they appeared in the headlights. Magnificent engineering by nature yet again. Hence my comments about them being the source or inspiration for many ghost stories, especially those surrounding white floating apparitions believed to have been seen amongst ruined buildings and around churchyards. |
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Post by Northy on Jun 12, 2020 8:04:28 GMT
A few around us, seen them hunting across the fields when out running late evening or early morning.
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