It’ll be owl right on the night at wild sleepouts
AFTER 40 years of writing about the work of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), it seems that it hasn’t gone unnoticed, and I have just received a lovely letter from their current President, Miranda Krestovnikoff.
“...your writing comes from the heart, and I have no doubt that your passion and enthusiasm is enjoyed and shared by your readers.
“I hope you continue to write about your experiences in nature, and the issues you feel passionately about, helping your readers understand them, connect with them and pass them on to others, for a very long time.”
I was hoping for a gold clock but I’ll take that, and as if by magic I can tell you now about the RSPB’s latest initiative, The Big Wild Sleepout!
The idea may not seem too attractive with the recent rain but, over the weekend of July 29-31, you are encouraged to discover night-time nature by camping out - in your own garden, or on a RSPB nature reserve.
And this is for the kids – please pass on grownups – before setting out on any journey, whether it’s to the North Pole or your local swimming pool, you need to pack the right stuff. If you turned up in the Arctic with your swimming cossie and money for the vending machine, you might find yourself in a bit of a pickle.
Here’s what you might need on the Big Wild Sleepout adventure: tent, pegs and groundsheet, sleeping bag, pillow, PJs, socks, wellies, torch, camera, water bottle, snacks, pencil, notepad, Teddy and a ‘Big Wild Sleepout Passport’.
These can either be sent to you by post (free) or downloaded to use straight away.
It contains fun games and ideas for your Sleepout, places to make notes, and the posted version also comes with glow-in-the-dark bunting.
Hopefully you will get the chance to sit outside on your Wild Sleepout or Sleepover, and you’ll need to listen carefully, and of course keep your eyes open.
Some of you are sure to see and hear owls, and although most UK species are nocturnal, they are also active at dawn and dusk, and the fancy word for that is ‘crepuscular’.
You may be fortunate to hear a tawny owl, our largest common owl, make its famous call.
But did you know that it’s the male tawny owl that goes ‘twoooo’ and the female that goes ‘twit’?
Tawny owls can often be found in woodland, parks and gardens, and are around the same size as a pigeon, with a ring of dark feathers around their face, with large, dark eyes.
Look out for them resting on a favourite perch, or being pestered by other birds in the daytime as well.
The barn owl is also nocturnal and is mostly found on farmland. It has a pretty heart-shaped face with a light-brown (almost golden-coloured) back and wings. It is pure white underneath.
If you’re planning a Big Wild Sleepout in the country, you may be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the barn owl’s ghost-like silhouette as it glides through the air, sometimes a matter of feet from the ground searching for prey.
Check out www.rspb.org for all the details, and don’t forget to let the rest of know how you got on.