A Moulting Owl

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 I have been disturbing a tawny owl over the last few days. Every time I walk through the orchard it seems to be about sheltering from the heat in the shade of the trees (its been 28C or thereabouts for the last few days). Yesterday I had a chance to photograph it. Looking at the photographs it is clear that it is moulting or losing a feather or two.



Owls moult each year after the young have fledged. Feathers get damaged by brushing against tress and to stay in top form owls tend to lose a couple of the primary flight feathers a year. Obviously it would be bad news to moult all the flight feathers at once so the moult is spread so that all the feathers will have been replaced in two or three years. This allows the owl to carry on hunting efficiently in the meantime. This contrasts with the moult in some ducks where they lose all the flight feathers at once and are unable to fly for a period whilst they grow new feathers.

Diary.
We have had a glimpse of a stoat in the garden a couple of times recently. Last night's camera traps revealed a badger on the prowl. Moth traps gave a good haul of well over a hundred. The usual suspects, mostly yellow and orange underwings. I am featuring just a couple. The scalloped Oak.


And the  Plain Golden Y.







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