Little Owls

Out with Dave again today. Still poor weather for photographs but we thought we would recce a few sites for when it does improve.

 Called in to look at the "usual tree at Stapleash Farm", see earlier blog for details, and were able to confirm Dave's view that there were two Little Owls present. Both were well hidden but one came out and gave reasonable views.

This one staying well hidden in a dark corner

The second venturing out onto the branches

Closer view of the second

Elsewhere there did not seem to be much flying but we managed to add a few extra birds to our year lists. Perhaps the most noteworthy were a flock of around 20 to 30 Collared Doves and the four or five Treecreepers we found at the Lavington Common car park.

We decided to finish off by seeing the Bittern that roosts at Burton Mill Pond. This had been reported as appearing like clockwork at 3pm. It finally came in at 4.25pm and we had a 10 second view as it appeared out of the gloom and disappeared into the reeds. Small return for an hour and a half standing in the cold.