Wednesday 18 January 2017

A boost to my very fledgling year list.

A visit to the Restharrow Scrape at Sandwich Bay and a drive along The Ancient Highway was fun.,and provided some great views of a Short-eared Owl.

Before I got to the Scrape I stopped to watch a Kestrel hunting from the wires.

A group of four Curlew and a Common Gull at the back of the Scrape.

Among the many Teal there was one pair of Wigeon.


A party of Black-headed Gulls flew over the hide.

In the distance a Common Buzzard sat on a post with two Crows acting as minders

A Little Egret flew from the far edge to have a quick feed in the near by reeds before returning to the back.

Sparrowhawk. This bird flew through, causing a bit of commotion and landed on the back fence.

There were about 10 Common Snipe in view, but no sign of the Jack while I was there.

A noisy bunch of about 60 Greylags flew in, almost drowning out the chatter of the photographers in the hide.

 Nice to see some of the Drake Shovelers are in their breeding season finery now.

Short-eared Owl. Always a thrill when one comes into view as you drive along the Ancient highway.




After a while it came to rest on a post, not too distant,


2 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Nice to see the Shortie out in the day time. Here on Sheppey they are mostly nocturnal with c. 14 going in to roost at daybreak and not re-appearing until dusk.

jelltex said...

Driving out through Westcliffe this morning, there was a buzzard resting on a bush right beside the road, so close I nearly hit him in the car. But didn't.

We saw two more beside the A2 on the way to Canterbury, sitting in a tree beside the road. Not noticed that sort of behaviour before.