Notes of Nature with columnist Ian Misselbrook from Bourne
Those of us that were hoping that the exceptionally cold and frosty April would be followed by a warm May were disappointed, writes nature columnist Ian Misselbrook.
Dubbed ‘Miserable May’ by some of the tabloids, it was a struggle for much of our wildlife until temperatures increased towards the end of the month. The cool wet weather caused a lack of insects, so flowers that did bloom lacked pollinators and migrant birds, many of which were delayed by bad weather crossing Europe, arrived to find little to eat.
The swifts which normally return to my village punctually in the first few days in May were nowhere to be seen - or so I thought. It was only when I visited RSPB Frampton Marsh near Boston on May 12 that I saw hundreds of swifts together with swallows and martins feeding up on insects over the marshes and reedbeds.
The weather in June is much warmer and I am happy to see that insects are now abundant. The humming of bees and other insects in our garden almost out-competes the bird song.
Of the five species of owl that can be encountered in our area at different times of the year, three -barn owls, tawny owls and little owls - take readily to nest boxes.
Bob Sheppard BEM and Alan Ball construct, erect and monitor hundred of boxes for these beautiful predators.
I was privileged to witness the ringing of little owl chicks in a purpose-designed nest box. On arrival the male bird flew into a nearby tree to watch the proceedings as it has done for the last six years.
When Bob opened the box, he found its mate was a new female, the old one having passed away after a productive ‘marriage’ of five years. Being a good mother, she stayed on the nest enabling Bob to ring her along with her four owlets.
Bob and Alan try to ring and monitor the owls in all the boxes they erect, from which we learn a great deal about the birds, their successes and failures and how they adapt to changes in climate and their environment.
Follow events live at one of Bob’s barn owl boxes by visiting the Len Pick Trust Barn Owl projects webcam online at www.lenpicktrust.org.uk/owl-project
