The Tawny owl is also known as the brown owl and is found widely across the UK usually in woodlands. They nest in tree hollows and hunt at night for mice and other small rodents.

The call of the tawny owl is the well known, ‘too-wit, too-woo’. In fact this call is the that of 2 birds calling to each other.  The female calls ‘too-wit’ and the male answers, ‘too-woo’.

The all black body and a distinctive white beak distinguishes the coot from its fellow river bird the moorhen.  Coots have flaps of skin on their toes which act as webbed feet when swimming.

KINGFISHER: Scientific name Alcedo atthis.

( Latin, alcedo the kingfisher, Atthis a beautiful woman.)

The jewel of the river, often seen on the Bybrook, this brilliant electric blue small bird flashing by, flying fast and low over the water.  Attention is sometimes drawn to it by its loud call ‘zeeee or sreeee’ made in flight.

The Bybrook is prime kingfisher habitat having clear slow flowing fish rich water with plenty of overhanging trees and vegetation, where it perches to observe it prey, usually small fish before making a vertical plunge dive. Fish up to 3 cm are taken and swallowed head first.

The kingfisher due to its rarity has been awarded special protection under the law by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, a Schedule 1 protected bird. It may not be disturbed at any time. Photographers have to apply for a special license to photograph at or near the nest.

KINGFISHER FACTS:

Size: Length 16-17 cm.  Wing Span 24-26 cm.

Sexes: Similar, male has all black bill.  Female has orange base to lower mandible.

Breeding season: Begins in April sometimes earlier.

Nest: A tunnel in the river bank above water, bored out by the male and female, up to 1 metre long with a chamber at the end. The chamber is bare but becomes lined with fish bones and debris.

Eggs: 6 to 7 in number, white and almost spherical, smooth and glossy.

Incubation Period: 19 to 21 days by both birds.

Nestling Period:  Born blind and naked, huddled together at first. Tended by both birds for 23-27 days before fledging. Fed on small fish offered head first to ease swallowing.

Fledging: After leaving the nest the young remain together nearby and are fed by both parents for some time before becoming independent.

Winter: In a mild winter birds remain on their home river but during harsh winters with frozen water, they will travel to the coast returning to their home water in spring.

Herons are long legged birds with long beaks. Their diet consists of fish, small birds, and mammals. They can often be seen standing as still as a statue waiting for their next meal to swim by. When in flight they flap their wings slowly and stretch their long legs out behind them.

The male is called a drake, the female a duck or hen and the young are ducklings.  Ducks tend to make a nest before breeding and, after hatching, lead their ducklings to the water.  Mother ducks are very caring and protective of their young.

The drake has a head of iridescent blue and green and the hen, less vibrant in colour, has brown speckled feathers across her body.

The male is called a cob, the female a pen and the young are cygnets. Swans usually mate for life although ‘divorce’ sometimes occurs, particularly following a nesting failure. If a mate dies the remaining swan will take up with another. The number of eggs in each clutch ranges from 3 – 8.

Stretches of the Bybrook valley enjoy the delights of returning pairs of mute swans which find places to breed and bring up their families.  Young cygnets face attacks from predators and harassment by dogs and people. Despite the parents protective instincts last year, in the Box Bybrook, only 2 of a brood of 7 survived to maturity.  This year, thus far all 5 of the brood are thriving – Please help protect our local wildlife.