Pellet scroungers

I was so glad to finally get on the patch for the first time in 2012 today and my main reason for this post is to announce that fact and that I am on a grand total of 22 for my patch yearlist. I've already missed Mealy Redpoll - drat. There's little of note in that total, one of the wintering Common Buzzards probably tops it.

Franko and his partner Susanna came round to the farm this afternoon and charmed Mrs Roe into allowing us into her barns to collect Barn Owl pellets. I think we managed about ten. Susanna works in education, doing things like takings apart owl pellets and constructing skeletons for tots to get an early fascination for nature. It was good fun. Susanna's website can be found here: The Nature Collection.

they look 'eww' but are simply compressed dead rodents