An "end of week report" a day later than normal thanks to the weather, my health and my ongoing efforts to attract high-flying swifts to our attic.

Ten weeks down now and I'm convinced the female owl is sitting on eggs like THIS owl in Holland.

The male has been banished (I think) to other perches whilst she incubates and today I saw him in broad daylight some distance away from the box, on a wooden fencepost as I went for a run through the local countryside.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that I have now got a half decent photograph of the female little owl exiting the box.

I took this photograph with a radio remote control system as I hid in the long grass some 50m away from the box, but let it be said, the ONLY reason I attempted to get this shot at all was I have put in almost three months of watching the owls - and I think they are getting pretty used to me being around now.

I should also point out that as soon as I got the shot and the female set off hunting at dusk, I immediately packed up shop and retreated to the car - and watched both owls behave as though nothing had happened.

I am not ever going to advise taking photographs of any birds at their nest site without weeks and weeks of watching and learning (like I've done with these owls) or indeed a schedule 1 licence for specifically-protected birds such as barn owls or kingfishers...

Onto week eleven now then, with (like I say) our female owl on eggs.... I'm sure....