[Geoff Haynes]

Hello can anyone give me sat nav/post code or directions for the short eared owls near Maidwell Northants please. (Blueberry Farm)
Any other info on best place to park, view and take photos etc. Best time to visit ?
Many thanks, Geoff Haynes.
http://geoffhaynes.zenfolio.com

[Black_lab]

Originally Posted by Geoff Haynes

Hello can anyone give me sat nav/post code or directions for the short eared owls near Maidwell Northants please. (Blueberry Farm)
Any other info on best place to park, view and take photos etc. Best time to visit ?
Many thanks, Geoff Haynes.
http://geoffhaynes.zenfolio.com

Have a look at this site the "no shortage of Shorties" article.

http://northantsbirds.com/

Dont know about the parking though !

[RENT-A-GOAT]

Geoff did you managed to get to see the shorties at this site? if so did you find a good place to park up I am planning on heading there tomorrow with the camera.

[wolfbirder]

Just back from enjoying excellent views of around 8 SE Owls on rough pasture fields at Blueberry farm, near Maidwell.

It appears the best way to see these birds is take j2 off A14 (if coming from the midlands), head south towards Northampton on A508 for just a few miles. Go past Maidwell itself on the A508, and at the small hamlet of "Hanging Haughton" take a right at Manor Road (you can barely see the village from the road and there is just a single small sign for "Hanging Haughton"). Manor Road leads thru the small village. Stay on Manor Rd, do not be tempted to take tracks off it. At the end of the small village it bends left and then becomes a rougher tarmac rd which actually says 'unsuitable for motor vehicles'. Its fine though, with care. Carry on for about one mile, past a signposted footpath crossroads junction (some cars park at this point), and drive on past a barn to your right and on across a field. At this point you may wonder if you can drive on, but you can on what is a hardcore track. About a quarter of a mile past the barn, you come to a rough pasture field and around 8 birds were hunting over this field when I got there at 2.30pm, affording great views. You can park easily by the field itself, which several birders and photographers were doing.

The owls currently hunt over the field from mid afternoon, and move northwards up towards the Blueberry farm complex a good half mile away. So I would say get there by 2.30pm, to enjoy the owls here.

[Charlie Sargent]

Showed well yesterday. A couple of pictures attached.

Charlie

[02pepe47]

Great results Charlie from a great days birding. Love the images M8.
Pepe

[redeyedvideo]

Originally Posted by Charlie Sargent

Showed well yesterday. A couple of pictures attached.

Charlie

Very nice indeed. Here's a couple of my recent attempts;

[rjmartin]

Cracking photos guys! Counted at least 8 Shorties this afternoon .... well worth the trip!

[Charlie Sargent]

Originally Posted by redeyedvideo

Very nice indeed. Here's a couple of my recent attempts;

Stunning shots

[Steve Tucker]

Hi

Are they still about does anyone know? I wouldn't mind a trip that way

[pandachris]

I tried to update yesterday Steve but settings on this laptop wouldn't let me log in. Check northantsbirds for more up to date info. We went at 2 p.m. yesterday and had great views of at least three birds plus a Barn Owl and a Red Kite.

We followed the directions already provided, having parked at Blueberry Farm on previous visits. I reckon that there's not a lot in it but the lane to the farm is a slightly easier drive. We spoke to two other birders who had come that way and had seen two SE Owls near the farm.

[Steve Tucker]

Thanks Chris I will try and get over

[Steve Tucker]

Called in today, the SEO's were still active there were at least 3 probably four hunting over the field from around 3pm until about 5pm. On the way out there was one near Moorwell Leys Spinney over the arable crops.
There was also a (I presume) wheatear

[Steve Tucker]

Well, called in again today, there were still a couple of shorties seen hunting for about an hour from around 4 O'clock. Some YellowHammers and a couple of Reed Buntings

[Pugs1]

Glad to see all the hard work I did at Blueberry is still going strong. When i first visited this site in 95 there was only one pair of BO which nested shortly after erecting the first box of many plus the habitat creation\management. Excellent data has been taken on the local raptors.

Enjoy but don't give too much away please.

[steadyeddie]

I'm planning on making a visit to this site over the winter, just wondered if anyone has been over in the last couple of weeks and seen much action?

[Steve Tucker]

Was there today co-incidentally, no sign of SEO's though there was a hunt on and lots of followers vehicles up and down the lane.

[oldbaldman]

No SEO's today. One very large bird on a tree top about 1/4 mile from where I was and before I could digiscope a decent picture it had flown.

The picture I have is grainy and was shot in fading light. Has anyone an idea as to what it may have been please?

obm

[Steve Tucker]

I have seen that same raptor sat on the same branch a couple of times last year. I think its a Buzzard, though never got any closer than yourself so cannot be sure