Wildlife @ Thornthwaite

As well as a wide range of adventurous activities and great camping Thornthwaite also provides a rich haven for wildlife. One of the District's Scout Active Support members, Bob Elliot, is the site's resident wildlife expert and maintains a number of trail and wildlife cameras that capture some superb images of wildlife around the campsite.

This page provides a glimpse of Thornthwaite's non-scouting inhabitants.

Owl box - Summer update

All is going well in the box. A first peek in the box revealed two eggs on the 27th March and then 3 eggs on the 28th March. The ducks and squirrel are still trying, unsuccessfully, to hassle the Owls out!

On the 27th April we had the first sighting of the chicks. All three hatched, wonderful! The chicks had a visit on the 30th April from a Pied Flycatcher! The box is a great place for flies I suppose!

Moving on to the 12th May, the chicks are growing growing fas, although there are only two owlets now. The eldest chick will have had an extra meal! , so nothing is wasted in nature, seems harsh to us but true. Things are looking good for the remaining owlets. They are getting plenty of food, and the parents are doing really well. Some wing flapping going on a good sign will soon be leaving the nest!

A young male Interloper arrived trying to impress with a large Worm! and was brushed aside by a real Hunter(with young Rabbit), No Contest!. These are the last pics taken before They Fledged (or Branching ) as it's also called. Parent birds will feed them a while longer and then drive them away to find their own territory. It's Tough Out There Folks!!

Competition in the Owl Box

We have some great competition for the Owl box this year, List of the competitors, Great Tit and Blue Tit, fighting above their weight maybe! We have a squirrel occupying the box at the moment!! The Tawney Owl has been here before, we have had two Tree Ducks in before, who laid around 40Eggs! between them.

We hope you enjoy the photos and watch this space!