North Norfolk Holiday Cottage
Well after the big freeze, its good to see three Barn Owls out on the meadow hunting; it looks like a pair are using the nest box
in the old horse shelter.
The Kestrel nest box has had fresh sawdust put in into it, and the Kestrels keep having a look-in.
With the freeze, in came the Snipe just in front of Old Beans Cottage and a great sight to see. Looking forward to seeing the
first Brimstone, won’t be long….
Great to see so many of you returning to Old Beans; the cottage is already booked for six months for 2018.
The Barn Owls are still showing well, as are the Kestrels. We are looking into putting a camera into one of the nest boxes, so a live feed can be watched in the cottage. The new Little Owl nest box has been put up, so we will all have to wait and see what occurs.
14 October and the two late chicks have made it, and can still be seen flying around the meadow….
From the Bushnell camera at the bottom of my garden – the otters have been very active…..
Now, this is a first at Old Beans Cottage. On 31 October a little owl called out. So, a nest box will have to be sorted as there are now two little owls out there. Watch this space…..
As the Swallows fly south, it’s all change with Pink Feet Geese flying down from the north, a great sound and sight to see.
I am amazed to see that we are already booked for over four months at Old Beans for 2018; great to see so many of you
returning…
On the 26 September, it was brought to my attention by a guest at Old Beans, that a young Barn Owl chick had been struggling all day to get back home. So, with a little help before sundown, it was back in its nest.
It’s been some time since we have had a second brood; the voles must be doing well.
The wild flower garden has been cut and put to bed for another year.
The Barn Owl chicks are out and about, including a very pale one, and most evenings after dark you can still hear them screeching out along with the hooting Tawny Owls.
We had a surprise email from Sculthorpe Nature Reserve – one of the Kestrel chicks from Old Beans nest box turned up on an old Sparrow Hawk nest for a photo shoot…
With all the sunshine its been one of the best years for the oxeye daisies, and with them they attract the insects which in turn attracts the Spotted Flycatchers, so great viewing for some…..
The kestrel have fledged with great success and can be heard first before being seen screaming out around the meadow.
Hopefully soon the young Barns Owls will be out from their nest box.
Good to see the sun at long last…. The Queen of the Night tulips have put on a good show, and now it’s the Camassia’s turn, and then next the Ox eye daises at Old Beans Cottage.
The King Fishers can be heard and seen some times, flying fast over the meadow to its nest site to feed young. Whitethroat can be seen and heard to the right of the cottage singing from the top of the brambles, while most evenings hares can be seen in the field next door…
On the 10th of May all the nest boxes where checked out with my bird ringing friend Mr Phil Littler, and it was great to see that three young kestrels had hatched out with one egg still to go in the nest box at the bottom of the meadow, while in the tea chest nest box in the old hoarse shelter both Barn Owls where present, with the female sitting on chicks, so a lot of hunting activity to watch while you are sitting with your glass of wine at Old Beans Cottage, enjoy….
Barn owls & sparrowhawks have been spotted in the meadow.
Great to see so many of you rebooking – it’s good to know that so many of you ‘get’ Old Beans Cottage. We’re booked up for 26 weeks in 2017 already!
The White Horse Inn at East Barsham – on the main Fakenham Road, very close to OBC, has recently changed hands and the new owners have closed down temporarily in order to refurbish. We expect it to reopen – resplendent – in March 2017. Click Here to visit their website.
Lots of early spring cleaning. As the cottage was full for 37 weeks in 2016, the decorator Claire is in painting the whole place out for 2017.
We are already bookd for 18 weeks for next year, its good to see so many of you all returning, and get what Old Beans Cottage is all about…..
I have had time to cut back also some of the willow in front of one of the many Barn Owl nest boxes. Both Owls are very content perching in the old horse shelter.
I have planted out a few more hundred Queen of the Night Tulip bulbs, and also for next year some Giganteum Alliums, all good for the Bees.
Merry Christmas to all
Martin
Well what a scorcher August was, no complaints there then.
The two Barn Owl chicks where successful.
Good to see the sheep now on the meadow to eat down the grass, which will make hunting for the owls a lot better.
