h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am taking a little break from the barn owl forum but want somewhere to keep my notes this seems a good place to do it.

It will be dull.

14/09/14

Still moulting. Fresh pellets. Owl looking good if a little tatty still. Pesky fly also in residence

Can hear noises outside and on the box. Hope this is another owl but think it could to be a magpie, as I can hear them very close and regular crow/magpie yell offs. It is a larger bird outside though please be another owl. Could be as I am not hearing flapping, just clonking footsteps and crows and magpies are flappy and owls are not. Only hear them land.

Everytime I hear them near the entrance my heart goes a bit flappy, excitement is this his partner returning, or a new ,and anxiety is it a competitor, other owl or otherwise.

Keeping an eye on tails, as a tail shot two days ago made me question is it the same owl in the box all the time. Pic quality very poor, no colour, lighting and moulting make it too hard to call

15/09/14

Uneventful day and night in the box. Leaving earlier as the nights draw in, around 8.30pm coming back in about 6am ish. Has a routine.

Weak observation, prior to going out 'arranges' feathers or pellet on the floor.

16/09/14

16.29 Zoomed out the box from a settled state, can hear him on the box, sound on max but my human ears can't hear anything that would disturb him but think he was

16.44 Back in, manner of exit and length of time out, not suggestive of a nip outside for a quick squit, although did hear one while he was there

17/09/14

Uneventful day/night in the box, although as soon as I said routine owl went out before 19.44 and didn't come back until 07.28

Think there is still fair few feathers coming out and a fresh pellet, the latter not totally sure.

Dry and dusty owl been giving themselves a good shake and preening, cam is well dusted over, with the constant buffering also, so blurry

Hard as it to say it getting to the point when it is deteriorating so much it is losing its value, only hard core already invested fans will watch and if they can not make definite obs, data wise not much can be gleaned

At the moment I can say there is an adult unringed owl in the box, is healthy, certain as can be it is the same male that has raised a brood over the summer, maybe that is enough for now

If the situation changes, over time then I would like to able to identify by pics and comparison and unless it was something bleeding obvious wouldn't be able to do that

Still moulting, fresh pellets in box.

Left at 19.16 last night was in at 20.16 making a right old noise, at least 10 good screeches in a row and had been heard before that. Could hear another outside also screeching. Owl went out and clearly heard two screeches from different owls, a little flappy then quiet.

Checked in over night box empty and quiet outside. Cam has been down from at 04.45