The Search Continues

 Saturday 22nd November  I headed off to Sandbanks ferry not to travel across to Brands Bay as the ferry is closed for repair work but to look for the Long-tailed Duck that is hanging round the past few days but even though it was reported earlier in the day I had no luck with finding this species. How ever I did see  Red Breasted Mergansers, Brent Geese, Great Crested Grebe and Cormorants.

 So after an hour searching the water from the car park I head off to Hatch Pond were I found three male Pochard, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes, a Grey Heron and best of all I found a small party of Common Snipe out on the cut reed bed I had wonderful views of 25+ birds feeding, preening and washing and some flying about.

As the weather seemed to be clearing here and it was late afternoon I text ed the wife to let her know I was going off somewhere to search for a Short-eared Owl. I set off and as I started to drive more inland the sky's got darker and it started raining again. I managed to find the location after taking the wrong turning to start with and I thought I was going to end up getting lost. I say I found the location but even though I was very near I still managed not to get to the car park. I found somewhere to park along the road and headed off down the bridle way and the area looked good for SEO with a lot of scrub and longish grass. Along the hedge there were lots of Fieldfare and flying about, a Buzzard sat on a fence post then down in the lower fields I saw something drifting low over the grass I managed to get the scope on it and it was a wonderful Short-eared Owl but not just one another one came into view and they flew by each other and had a little tussle then dropped down in to the grass. Then one took flight again and was being harassed by a crow. Even though they were only distance views it was great to see them flying about so gracefully so light and buoyant in the air.

Once again as I was leaving home the sky was dark and drizzly rain so I decided not to take the camera so no picture again for this blog and beside I was to far away to get even a half rubbish shot of the SEO but I do hope to goi back soon with camera in tow to get a picture of these wonderful owls.

Short-eared Owl # 149

Edit
Took my son over to see the Short-eared Owl this afternoon, it turned up about 3.30pm and I managed to grab a very poor record shot of the Owl going away from us and in to the sun.

Cropped image, record shot of Short-eared Owl