Some Good Local Birds

The morning dog walk was a rather Baltic -11 C. (it was 8am) but made for some nice landscape scenes with the heavy frost and lying snow. There was however very few birds about, a couple of Tree Sparrow, Fieldfare and Sparrowhawk being the highlights.


Cold morning


Cold morning

By contrast a late afternoon walk was very enjoyable, and a barmy -2 C. I took a route along the River and it wasn't long before I connected with a female Kingfisher. It was sat deep in a bush but I managed to get a couple of record shots on my phone, not the best but you can just about tell what it is!


Kingfisher - Phonescoped (note red to base of lower mandible = female)


Kingfisher - Phonescoped (note red to base of lower mandible = female)

Kingfisher - Phonescoped (note red to base of lower mandible = female)


Kingfisher - Phonescoped (note red to base of lower mandible = female)

The river was rammed full of Wigeon and Mallard with a few Teal, Pintail, Mute Swan and Moorhen present too. A quick scan of a distant field held a nice surprise - a hunting Short-eared Owl, my first on the patch. It was fairly distant, and after it caught a vole it got a bit of undesired attention from two local crows which chased it up quite high. I managed to get a record shot on my phone before it dropped back down low again.


Short-eared Owl - Phonescoped


Short-eared Owl - Phonescoped

Whilst walking back to my car a Kestrel was hunting the river bank and a Buzzard flew through to roost but the highlight came in the form of 2 further Short-eared Owl that showed really well. Unfortunately they were moving too fast to get any pictures!

Really pleased with 3 Short-eared Owl so close to home! I've said before this winter that there seems to be tonnes of them around. I wonder how many more are still out there to be discovered?

Off to Potteric Carr tomorrow for the NATURAL ARTS OPEN DAY. Looking forward to seeing Mike Bowman Images there and hopefully some Bittern activity too. Thermals at the ready!