LEO in the Snow

A fabulous five hours and 10ish miles in the snow around local farmland and woodland this morning: 9+ Marsh Tits and 4 Woodcock, followed by a most unexpected, flushed from an ivy-covered tree Long-eared Owl. It wasn't exactly on a public footpath, but there was nothing to say it was private either, so fair game in my book.

I have been kind of expecting Short-eared Owl around the Cockayne Hatley area, so it was a bit of a shock when I realised what species of 'eared owl' I was looking at. Fabulous. A self-found clean-sweep of the Bedfordshire owls is now a distinct possibility.

DOM

Not a bad start...

At the end of day four, my total stands at 71, which is approximately 71 more than at this stage last year. Just working the local area - the Potton/ Sandy/ Biggleswade triangle - has allowed me to 'find' the majority of the commoner species. Highlights so far include four Ravens over West Sunderland Farm; a Brambling at an allotment near Potton and a shamelessly-tresspassed but tactically-astute found Woodcock.

I really like the challenges within challenges this year: waders, wildfowl, passerines...I may even have a shout on the latter. I'll just need to remain focussed and find a spring Wood Warbler, passage Black Redstart or better.

Good luck to all, and oh, Mr Grimsey - no six month head-start this year!

Right, off out now to do my BTO Winter Thrush Survey. Hope that my devotion to the conservation cause pays some personal dividends. ;-)

DOM

Woodcock

A glorious afternoon around Potton Wood and the targeted birding pays off with my first Woodcock, around one of the Pheasant feeding stations. When flushed, it took off as slowly and laboriously through the scrub as Thunderbird 2. Woodcock are go!

130 for the year now, 120 of which on foot.

DOM