Little owl

[muddy]

Just landed in my garden
I have never seen one before
It's on the chimney

[klondike]

I've seen them at shows where there is a stall with a collection of owls but never one in the wild.

I have a big fake plastic owl atop my flagpole. Its job is to stop pigeons decreasing the efficiency of my solar gazebo. It seems to work. When I first installed the panels I had to give them a wash twice in three days. Only been one instance since and it was too small to have been a pigeon.

[Mups]

How lovely, Muddy.

I would love to have seen him in my garden.  

[muddy]

I was rather thrilled .
He came for water 
I have a minuscule pond in my garden .
I would like a bigger one but it nearly killed me digging the hole for this little titchy  one .
Still the birds ( and my dog ) like to drink from it .
Yes Mungo ignores his Maison Cash water bowl ( it's ok Prince Harry is not coming round) so it should be safe .
He prefers streams and ponds but all the streams around here have dried up 

[Mups]

Muddy,  you say about Mungo drinking from your pond?   
I don't want to worry you,  but you should never let him to do that.

I have 2 bird births, and 2 drinkers,  for the wild birds,  but they are scrubbed out weekly,  and topped up daily.
I always find the Pigeons are the worst for crapping in the water.  They sit on the edge, have their drink, then turn round, crap in the water,  and then fly off!   Not very nice for the next one to drink from.
Fish a pooing in the water all the time,  and so is everything else who uses it.
I never let my dogs drink from puddles,  bird baths, or those bowls some shops leave outside for dogs.

Gertie used to drink from the bird bath, and got poorly,  and when I had a sample tested, she had E.Coli.

Lastly,  have a quick look at this:

Dogs should not be allowed to drink from garden ponds because the stagnant water is a breeding ground for dangerous parasites, bacteria, and toxins. Ingesting pond water can lead to severe gastrointestinal distress, liver or kidney damage, and even be fatal.

So do be careful with the old fella. 

[Alex]

I can't see it, when I enlarge it blurs, but I imagine it was lovely to see,  I've never seen a real owl. 
I've got a big stone owl in my garden Klondy I thought that would deter the pigeons but it didn't    I've got silver foil stuff from Temu and I've tied it on the fences, seems to be working - she says 

[Scrumpy]

I have never seen an owl in my garden.. I know they are around because I have heard them at night coming from the big tree.. next door..
Love the stone wall in your garden Muddy..

[muddy]

Muddy,  you say about Mungo drinking from your pond?   
I don't want to worry you,  but you should never let him to do that.

I have 2 bird births, and 2 drinkers,  for the wild birds,  but they are scrubbed out weekly,  and topped up daily.
I always find the Pigeons are the worst for crapping in the water.  They sit on the edge, have their drink, then turn round, crap in the water,  and then fly off!  Not very nice for the next one to drink from.
Fish a pooing in the water all the time,  and so is everything else who uses it.
I never let my dogs drink from puddles,  bird baths, or those bowls some shops leave outside for dogs.

Gertie used to drink from the bird bath, and got poorly,  and when I had a sample tested, she had E.Coli.

Lastly,  have a quick look at this:

Dogs should not be allowed to drink from garden ponds because the stagnant water is a breeding ground for dangerous parasites, bacteria, and toxins. Ingesting pond water can lead to severe gastrointestinal distress, liver or kidney damage, and even be fatal.

So do be careful with the old fella. 

I have put a large green bowl ( to make be,eive it's a pond ) full of water outside the back door Mups and Mungo has at last tried it .

[Mups]

I have put a large green bowl ( to make be,eive it's a pond ) full of water outside the back door Mups and Mungo has at last tried it .

Well done, that sounds much safer, Muddy,  as long as its not left down overnight when the snails and rats might be about.   Not worth the risk.  

[muddy]

I give it to the plants in the  morning and refill

[GrannyMac]

Never seen an owl close to.  There have been reports of a peahen wandering about locally, but I think it's gone now.  🤞🏼 

[muddy]

There are lots of peasants around us who have survived the shooting season or are ready for the next one I am not sure .
They are very stupid birds and are always walking into the road when they could safely fly across. 

[klondike]

The shooting season runs 1st Oct to 1st February. So any loose now are going to be survivors from the previous season or escapees from the rearing pens for next season. They do appear to be too stupid to ever survive without a load of folk with more money than sense wanting to shoot them. 

[Mups]

The shooting season runs 1st Oct to 1st February. So any loose now are going to be survivors from the previous season or escapees from the rearing pens for next season. They do appear to be too stupid to ever survive without a load of folk with more money than sense wanting to shoot them.

I would imagine those birds that have never never been out of a pen in their life,  so couldn't possibly know anything  about cars and traffic, never having  seen them,  so  wouldn't have the inborn sense of danger like naturally wild birds would have.     

Poor things have only ever seen their own kind   squashed in a pen with them, and humans,  but no traffic, no guns, no gun dogs chasing them out of hiding.   
Then one day when they are released into a totally strange environment,  not knowing where they are, where is a safe place to go,  or probably not even able to fly,  they must be like  sitting ducks,  and very easy targets for those who like to kill  for  pleasure.

I absolutely loathe the hunting lot,  and would like to see the same happen to them in the next world.

[muddy]

I meant of course. Pheasants not peasants !