Having struggled throughout January to locate any Short-eared Owls at several normally reliable sites we decided to travel North this morning and visit Eldernell in Peterborough. Arriving at the car park shortly after first light we joined a small group of birders already present and began scanning the flooded grasslands.
Several Marsh Harriers were seen quartering the area along with Common Buzzards and Kestrel, but no Owls were found. After another scan, I located a very distant Short-eared owl perched on a wooden gate. then after a brief rain shower, a second bird was seen on the path at closer range. It quickly moved back in among the grass.
The grasslands held impressive numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover their flock sizes becoming obvious when flushed by a hunting Marsh Harrier.
Cranes proved much easier to locate with three birds seen shortly after arriving and before departing we had views of nine individuals feeding together.
Before heading for home we dropped in at the RSPB's headquarters at The Lodge in Bedfordshire and were entertained by twenty plus Brambling feeding around the feeders adjoining the car park and surrounding area. The feeders also attracted good numbers of Great, Blue, Long-tailed and Coal Tits plus Chaffinch, Nuthatch and Treecreeper.
No comments:
Post a Comment