Garden Bird Watch and Barn Owl

A wet day, with nothing at all of note at either Shepreth L-moor or Fowlmere until a Barn Owl showed itself to within a few feet of myself on the fields south of Fowlmere.

Earlier in the afternoon, Tom, Sam, and myself did the Garden Birdwatch, with Tom doing most of the work…

Shepreth tick and two tick Fowlmere day!

A frosty early morning was spent at Shepreth L-moor, the first bird seen being a flyover immature Mute Swan, a new bird for the site! It was quiet after that, so I headed for Fowlmere. Here, the small flock of Teals and Mallards also held a single male Gadwall, but little else was noted until I left the hide and heard a Bearded Tit. However, it could not be seen, and apart from a flock of about fifteen Siskin, little else seemed to be about.

Returning in the evening however, a Bittern was seen in flight and a couple of minutes later the Bearded Tit was heard and glimpsed. Two ticks in a couple of minutes!

Buzzard and Barn Owl

A Buzzard was perched in a tree just outside Cambridge, seen from the train this morning. A Barn Owl was at Fowlmere.

Shepreth L-moor and Fowlmere

Took the first visit of the year to Shepreth L-moor. Not a lot seen apart from a single Snipe and year-tick Greenfinches which are always ubiquitous at this site. Fowlmere held even less.

Snowy Owl

Eventually got around to seeing the Snowy Owl at Zennor, Corwall. An  enjoyable morning wandering around the moors with Tom, Cris Freddi, John Murray, and Marcus Kohler attempting to get better views, which we occasionally did, though never great. Also seen were a Peregrine and a ring-tail Hen Harrier, several hundred Golden Plovers, and a few Dunlin, and a Raven.

After a quick Cornish Pasty on the Hayle, we headed to Radipole for the Hooded Merganser. A nice bird, but would be surprised if it ever gets accepted. Four Mediterranean Gulls were also seen, two each of first and second winters.

Fowlmere

Went to Fowlmere with Tom, late afternoon. A good couple of hours! Another glimpse of last week’s Otter (seen by Tom in exactly the same spot as I saw it.) A Peregrine was seen catching a Wood Pigeon (unfortunately the kill was just out of sight) and a Barn Owl was also noted.

Blackbirds, Woodcocks, and Tawny Owls

Freezing fog all day with the occasional light snow fall. Twenty-two Blackbirds were on the lawn feeding mostly on leftover windfall apples. They were joined by the occasional Song Thrush and small Redwing flock (never before recorded actually on the lawn.)

Fowlmere at dusk produced two Woodcocks and two Tawny Owls (one seen.)