Has for three consecutive years nested in a
platform/hollow in one of our beech trees. Possible to see from the ground
but only that she was nesting~ no details.
During the winter we built an elaborate hide in a neighbouring
beech looking right down onto the site. Complete with ladder [on the
blind~side], binoculars, sleeping bag and video camera etc. Just as, I
suppose, I really expected she didn't return this year.
After waiting long enough we went to recover the contents only to
find she had nested in the hide with two owlets on the sleeping bag!!. I
can't win.
Best Wishes Brian.

I didn't know till today that they are not found in Ireland.

"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote in message
...
Has for three consecutive years nested in a
platform/hollow in one of our beech trees. Possible to see from the ground
but only that she was nesting~ no details.
During the winter we built an elaborate hide in a neighbouring
beech looking right down onto the site. Complete with ladder [on the
blind~side], binoculars, sleeping bag and video camera etc. Just as, I
suppose, I really expected she didn't return this year.
After waiting long enough we went to recover the contents only to
find she had nested in the hide with two owlets on the sleeping bag!!.

Location location location :-))

You reminded me of a friend some years ago who had a cat which used to do
its hours of contemplation perched on a fence panel. She persuaded her dad
that the cat would be grateful if he were to make it a bit more comfortable
for pussy. So reluctantly he got the tools out and fixed a foot square
plywood platform to the top of the panel exactly where the cat spent its
time.

The cat moved to the next fence panel.

Steve

On 18/5/05 7:16 pm, in article ,
"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:

Has for three consecutive years nested in a
platform/hollow in one of our beech trees. Possible to see from the ground
but only that she was nesting~ no details.
During the winter we built an elaborate hide in a neighbouring
beech looking right down onto the site. Complete with ladder [on the
blind~side], binoculars, sleeping bag and video camera etc. Just as, I
suppose, I really expected she didn't return this year.
After waiting long enough we went to recover the contents only to
find she had nested in the hide with two owlets on the sleeping bag!!. I
can't win.
Best Wishes Brian.

I didn't know till today that they are not found in Ireland.


You lucky, lucky people! What a truly charming story! I do hope you've
given them a primus stove and some tins of sausages. ;-))
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds for email)

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/5/05 7:16 pm, in article ,
"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:

Has for three consecutive years nested in a
platform/hollow in one of our beech trees. Possible to see from the
ground
but only that she was nesting~ no details.
During the winter we built an elaborate hide in a neighbouring
beech looking right down onto the site. Complete with ladder [on the
blind~side], binoculars, sleeping bag and video camera etc. Just as, I
suppose, I really expected she didn't return this year.
After waiting long enough we went to recover the contents only to
find she had nested in the hide with two owlets on the sleeping bag!!. I
can't win.
Best Wishes Brian.

I didn't know till today that they are not found in Ireland.


You lucky, lucky people! What a truly charming story! I do hope you've
given them a primus stove and some tins of sausages. ;-))
--

Sacha
_______________
My biggest fear is that she will now desert the nest so we will keep
well away and see less than in other years!!
Best Wishes Brian.

On 18/5/05 11:21 pm, in article ,
"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/5/05 7:16 pm, in article ,
"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:

Has for three consecutive years nested in a
platform/hollow in one of our beech trees. Possible to see from the
ground
but only that she was nesting~ no details.
During the winter we built an elaborate hide in a neighbouring
beech looking right down onto the site. Complete with ladder [on the
blind~side], binoculars, sleeping bag and video camera etc. Just as, I
suppose, I really expected she didn't return this year.
After waiting long enough we went to recover the contents only to
find she had nested in the hide with two owlets on the sleeping bag!!. I
can't win.
Best Wishes Brian.

I didn't know till today that they are not found in Ireland.


You lucky, lucky people! What a truly charming story! I do hope you've
given them a primus stove and some tins of sausages. ;-))
--

Sacha
_______________
My biggest fear is that she will now desert the nest so we will keep
well away and see less than in other years!!
Best Wishes Brian.

Crossing fingers that you'll be lucky. And I think you will be. Apropos of
this, a couple of years ago, my step son slung his fleece jacket over a
horizontal wire in the big double and on attempting to reclaim it the next
morning found that a wren was building a nest in the hollow formed by the
collar as it hung over that wire. The same year we had some green netting
stuff above the potting benches to give shade and a wren built a nest in
that. It was extremely precarious and kept slipping, so every so often,
someone would give it a poke with a bamboo cane to set it to rights - mother
and chicks seems very happy! Blackbirds have built nests in the pots of
Fuchsias in that Fuchsia house and we've had to put up signs "don't disturb
the blackbird".
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote in message
...
Has for three consecutive years nested in a
platform/hollow in one of our beech trees. Possible to see from the ground
but only that she was nesting~ no details.
During the winter we built an elaborate hide in a neighbouring
beech looking right down onto the site. Complete with ladder [on the
blind~side], binoculars, sleeping bag and video camera etc. Just as, I
suppose, I really expected she didn't return this year.
After waiting long enough we went to recover the contents only to
find she had nested in the hide with two owlets on the sleeping bag!!. I
can't win.
Best Wishes Brian.

I didn't know till today that they are not found in Ireland.



That is a great story!!
They are indeed absent from Ireland. Ireland at night, in the countryside,
is almost silent. We get toads in one place only and otherwise have no
nightingales and no tawny owls. The latter were a great surprise when we
lived in Germany and England. It was a great nightime sound to hear a high
pitched plaintive hoooooo hoooooooooooooooooooooo in the distance (Everybody
Loves the Sound of an Owl in the Distance la la la ...). It is very
evocative. We get Barn Owls and Long Eared owls. I think the latter hoot
but I have never heard one.

Des