Latest News from Kirkstead Old Mill Cottage B&B Woodhall Spa

A Night to Remember

"Why?" you might ask, and if you did, read on, dear Mark, Mike, and any other most-welcome browsers.

The fact that today is a Friday the 13th is of no significance to me, as I believe you make your own good or bad luck, except where winning the Lottery is concerned.

Several weeks ago I agreed that I would like to attend the "Christmas Dinner" celebration of the Woodhall Spa and District Gardeners' Association, but I was no longer relishing the idea of leaving the house when the temperature was already below freezing, even if I only had to drive for a mile and a half to my friendly, local inn - The Abbey Lodge.  Getting in and out of the Volvo has now become a slow, uncomfortable process, which I undertake only when absolutely necessary, but I convinced myself it would be worth it for I would be in good company for the evening, and it would be great to enjoy some good food that I didn't have to prepare for myself.

My "Ironing Lady" arrived to house-sit, with two of her daughters for company, so I set off later than I had intended, and was duly rewarded on my outward journey by the excitement of a fleeting glimpse of a barn owl perched on top of the owl box.

 

 

Greetings and best wishes to you all for 2012

Feel loved this Christmas time and share your good fortune

I would like to thank you for your messages of goodwill and the continuing support that I am treasuring as I receive so many Christmas cards yet again.  Since 2006, the year in which Tony and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary, surrounded at the beginning of August by family and friends (old and new) for a fantastic weekend, I have rarely managed to write each December to those whose love I value so much.  By the end of October that year, my dear friend/husband and I learnt that his cancer had spread to the cavity around his right lung, and this meant that he was now terminally ill, just four and a half years after the initial diagnosis of cancer in his bowel.  Each November Tony and I planned to sit together, sipping a sweet sherry, and prepare to send a newsletter around the globe.  Our tradition of 50 years could not however be continued, as each autumn found us just coping with the latest chemotherapy or treatment until December 2009 when a wonderful Dr Ayers whom we met in Lincoln's St Barnabas Hospice informed me that the cancer was now eating into one of the vertebra of Tony's spine.  Driving to Crawley to spend Christmas with one of our sons and his precious family was no longer a possibility, and we very much appreciated invitations from friends in nearby Stixwould and Woodhall Spa to share their Christmas and New Year celebrations.  I can't recall for sure whether Tony accompanied me to the carol service in our special little church of St Leonard's across the field, beside the Abbey ruins, that year, but I guess he did for he was never left alone in case he fell, but I missed his presence so much last Sunday afternoon when I attended this annual candle-lit service.  The church glowed inside, and out, on a quite magical day; how different was the weather compared with 2010!

Anyway, back to January 18th, 2010, and another visit to Lincoln to see Dr Ayers who was advising us so helpfully on pain control.  Dr Ayers emailed to me a copy of a recent scan that Tony had had in Lincoln Hospital, which noted that the cancer had now spread to the left of his chest and to the liver, and the vertebra was now almost completely consumed, so I was expecting that soon Tony would no longer be able to walk, but thankfully that didn't actually happen, for by the end of that week Tony's well-being declined rapidly and our wonderful Macmillan nurse arranged for a few days of night nursing help for us, so that I could sleep.  On the Saturday morning two of our sons came for the weekend to see their dad, and Tony died peacefully at home on Tuesday afternoon, sitting in his chair in our sun-room just as he had wanted with my friend Valerie and me beside him.  There wasn't time for our eldest son to come from Hawaii, but he sent some of his special memories to be read out at Tony's cremation service. I'll upload them tomorrow.

Just before I wrote this note to you, I listened to the news on the TV.  Yet another serviceman's family will spend Christmas grieving, and I my thoughts go out to them.  I am so sad to realise that I am not ever going to experience peace on Earth, though there does sometimes seem to be a growing movement towards it as I watch the reports of the numerous demonstrations, demanding freedom and true democracy.

Make the most of this time of goodwill, and remember the teacher whose birthday we are celebrating,  love from Barbara

 

Remembering Tony

Today Tony would have reached his 81st birthday.

An evening at the AGM of the Woodhall Spa and District Gardeners' Association

Okay, Mark,

I'm back posting again, so look out for a new photograph soon.  Love from Mum

PS Saw a flash of Barn Owl tonight on my way down the track, which was a relief, as after a couple of weeks without a sighting I was concerned for the welfare of my fledglings.

Then, when I parked up on my return, I heard the Tawny Owls calling to each other over in the wild garden as usual.  I guess they have a home in the owl box that your dad and Reg installed years ago in the large, central oak tree.  A few weeks ago, John reported seeing a pair of them perched on one the branches of that tree, one day when he went over to water the foxglove seedlings in Tony's memorial patch.

The weather in Woodhall Spa is very changeable.  It's supposed to be a very pleasant weekend - after the first serious ground frost yesterday, which even caught my hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes and blue Lobelia.

 

Watching Baby Barn Owls

Every time that I drive home I see one or both of the barn owl chicks.  Sometimes one of them rushes back inside, leaving the other (who seems to resemble the chick on the right-hand side of the photo) to hiss at me.  Last night an attractive, pure white, round face peeped out of the circular opening and appeared to swear at me for disturbing the quiet.  At no time have I seen either of the parents huntimg nearby, so I hope all is well.  I must ask Alan Ball how long the family could be expected to stay living together.  I am enjoying my new companions, even if they seem a bit fed-up to see me!

 

The latest news about the Barn Owl chicks:

Tonight, as I was driving down the track heading towards the Abbey Lodge Inn, I spotted a couple of white birds by the beck.  The first sighting was definitely of a young Barn Owl who took a great deal of interest in the car when we stopped to observe him (or her) sitting on the bank.  A little further along we watched another Barn Owl hunting, and this could have been an adult.

Then, on my return journey, we stopped and exchanged glances with a delightfully curious young face that was watching us through the opening to the A frame owl box.  Such a smashing, happy-looking, young bird.  How privileged I am.

My new neighbours are most welcome

 

 

 

I am deighted to be able to introduce you to my newest neighbours.  This is thanks to Alan Ball whom I first met just over a year ago when he was ringing the Jackdaws who had hatched in the bird box on the outside of the local pumping station.

 

Then a few weeks ago, as I drove down the track towards Woodhall Spa, I met Alan again just as he was about to climb his ladder, which would enable him to peep inside the A-frame owl box that is attached to one of the Oak trees.  I was really excited to hear that he could see a mother Owl and at least one chick.

 

Then on 17th August, when I was busy cleaning out flower pots at the bottom of the garden, I missed a call from Alan who had arrived prepared to ring any Barn Owls that he found.  Below is the email that he sent to me in response to my request to be allowed to post his excellent photograph on this blog.

 

Hi Barbara,

 

Sorry you missed the owls last week.  Yes I am happy for you to use them on your website.  Some facts for you regarding Barn Owls for you - use/alter what you like.

 

Lincolnshire is thought to now be the best county for Barn Owls in Britain with probably around 900 pairs.  This population has increased from around 200 pairs 20 years ago, mainly due to the provision of nest-boxes by conservationists.  The area along the River Witham has one of the highest population densities of Barn Owls in the UK.

There are two purpose-built nestboxes near you, the 'A' frame on the tree, and the pump-station box..............both of these were erected as part of a scheme between Witham Third Internal Drainage Board and the Wildlife Conservation Partnership which I monitor annually.  These boxes are provided for Barn Owls and Kestrels, but are also used by Jackdaws and Stock Doves............and occasionally Tawny Owls and Little Owls.

 

Barn Owls normally lay 4 to 6 eggs at two-day intervals, and the female usually starts incubating from the first egg, so the eggs hatch at two day intervals about a month later.  During laying, incubation and whilst the chicks are small, the female doesn't leave the box and is totally reliant on the male bringing her food.  When the chicks are around two weeks old, the female will also hunt and bring back food.  The young develop very slowly and take around ten weeks to fledge.   Their main food source is predominantly field voles.  Vole numbers go in cycles and peak every 3 or 4 years, and crash in others; Barn Owls do well in the good vole years and often fail to breed in the poor vole years.  The Barn Owls will also take wood mice and shrews, and occasionally small birds.   They hunt by using sound, but also have good eyesight.  Although nocturnal, are often seen out in daylight when feeding chicks or if the weather was bad during the previous night.......Barn Owls do not hunt in wet weather, as, unlike most birds, they do not have waterproof feathers.  In a good vole year, Barn Owls will breed a second time, after the first brood has fledged.

 

Barn Owls are especially protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and it is an offence to disturb them whilst breeding.  These boxes are checked by Alan Ball under a licence granted by Natural England, and the birds are ringed on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology (using uniquely numbered metal rings each with a return address for finders to report them) in order to study them including long-term population trends.

 

2009 - Pump box had breeding Barn Owls........'A' frame had Jackdaws nesting followed by Stock Doves

2010 - Pump box = Jackdaws.........................'A' had Kestrels nesting

2011 - Pump box = Jackdaws.........................'A' = Barn Owls

 

The 'A' frame pair this year were both first year birds.....i.e. born last year (2010).  the female was un-ringed, but the male had been ringed as a chick in the East Riding, Yorkshire (77km away) - this is an unusually long distance for a Barn Owl to move.!

  

Hope this helps?  I monitor these purely as a hobby.......it's not my day job - unfortunately!  The chicks photographed were around 6 - 7 weeks old.

 

Regards,

 

Alan Ball

 

On Monday evening, as I returned in the dark from a meeting at the Petwood Hotel, I saw a small white wing sticking out of the owl box, which I assume may belong to one of the chicks.  Sadly, I needed to get home to meet some guests and take their breakfast order so I couldn't stop to observe.

A relaxing Sunday

Five years on