Wheezing in the woods

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had been listening to what David Attenborough described as a wheezing in the woods, as tawny owl chicks begged for food. I said I would try and blip one, so here it is. The light was bad, he was too far away, the ISO was too noisy....but I'm so pleased I finally got a good view of an owlet, even if the photo is not of a sharpness that Eric Hosking would have thought worth losing an eye for. This owlet was one of at least four who were begging for food from their unseen parents near the big beech tree on Arnside Knott. A few of his downy feathers are still showing as he comes into adult plumage.

Is it a good year for tawny owls? I have been hearing the chicks wheezing all over the Knott, perhaps 3 or 4 territories on my usual Gus walking routes. Have I just never tuned into their call until this year? Perhaps not, as I must admit that until I heard that broadcast I had not twigged that the wheezing was the owlets, rather than another adult contact call.

Anyway, I'm glad I went up the Knott this evening, instead of the usual walk along the estuary. I needed a fillip after a long day in a meeting in a windowless room in Warrington.