Firstly, from the wondrously diverse owl family, is the short eared owl, which has only recently been spotted at the Brockholes Nature reserve. A rather peculiar bird which is also colloquially referred to as a ‘shortie’, unusually prefers to go about its business in broad daylight. This magnificent creature is most easily observed and identified during the winter months, flying at low levels over moorland, grassland and saltmarshes, where they hunt small birds and creatures. The short eared owl nests in the north of the UK, however throughout the winter they can be seen all over England and Wales particularly around the coast.

Finally and perhaps the most beloved and recognisable owl of all, the barn owl is easily identifiable. With its distinctively pure white feathers they can be seen gliding over fields and hedgerows at dawn or dusk across the country. The barn owl will hunt at both day and night, hunting in the dead of night comes with ease for barn owls as they maintain perfect silence in flight, and an innate ability to locate prey by hearing high frequency sounds. The barn owl is widespread across the UK, apart from the highlands of Scotland. As their natural habitat is farmland and grasslands, it makes Brockholes and the surrounding area the perfect place to spot these noble birds.