Cabin fever

               I have not been able to get to Crow Wood for many weeks now and sure as hell I have missed it. It is pretty well established nowadays that being outside in nature can have a very positive impact on a sense of well being and is good for mental health, so being confined to barracks since the 17th December has been very difficult. I have had a longstanding problem with a bacterial infection of my replacement knee, which in the end could only be resolved by surgery. So the 17th saw me start a two week stay in hospital. Since coming home on the 1st January I have been receiving daily intravenous injections of antibiotics and been largely limited in what I can do having to walk with crutches. I need to wear a brace to protect the knee until the second round of surgery, so driving is out of the question and will be for weeks to come.

            This weekend visiting friends with my son drove me over to the wood. I was very keen to have help getting down a remote camera which I had installed up a pine tree many weeks ago to monitor my Tawny Owl nest box. As Tawnies are very early nesters this would be the best chance to get a ladder up without disturbing them. Once egg-laying begins they are easily frightened off and in mild winters egg laying can begin as early as mid-February. Just being able to to breath in the woodland air was a real joy after all this time and it was very satisfying to see that the camera had done its job with over 200 images recorded. The camera uses infra-red at night so the quality is not great but the photos provided evidence enough that the Tawnies look to have adopted the box and with luck will nest there again this season. The box itself is new: a replacement for the wooden one I made which had largely rotted away. I was a bit concerned that they would not take to the change of nest site. But it looks like they have. Great news indeed. Now they just need peace and quiet to get on with the process of reproduction. And I came home a very happy chappy........job done.

 The new nest box installed on a pine tree

The camera set up, facing the nest box on another pine tree

one of many images of the owls showing clear interest in the box

this owl seems to be looking directly at the camera

unwelcome attention from a squirrel - they are major pests, wanting boxes for themselves

one of the owls entering the box