I had an email from John Tanner reporting a day flying barn owl near Top farm on Friday. I went for a walk up to Magpie mine this afternoon and also had the pleasure of watching (presumably) the same bird hunting over fields northwest of Magpie Mine. The bird was quite a way off, so I only managed to get a distant photo (below). You can just make him out right of centre.

When the snow is over about seven cm deep or when it is frozen solid, barn owls struggle to find food and can be seen actively hunting in the daytime. This because their usual prey species, primarily voles, shrews and mice, are more active in the daytime in these conditions when temperatures can be a bit warmer than at night time. Further information on barn owls in winter and in general, can be found on the Barn Owl Trust website http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/infopage.html?Id=78