Another day of heavy showers but nicely faired up by evening. Warm and sunny later.
On my way home from work a Barn Owl flew high over the road just south of Hipsburn, clutching prey in its foot.
Walked Bunty around Seaton Point. A fast flying bird mobbed by pipits had my pulse going briefly. Hoping it was a Hobby, I was still pleasantly suprised by an adult Cuckoo going over, only my second here.
Out to sea the feeding bonanza continues as several thousand birds flickered about over the waves just outside the haven. Any landlocked birder using the holiday cottage next to the lifeboat hut could see Roseate, Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns, Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes in their hundreds without leaving the garden! The mass of birds looked like snowflakes as the evening sun illuminated them against the rain clouds off shore.
No waders today, but an Eider had 6 ducklings along the tideline and 1 male and 3 juv Stonechats were feeding near the Seaton Point House.
7 comments:
I had daylight hunting Barn Owl at Wooden about three days ago, obviously feeding young.
Same one eh...
We have a 'pet' buzzard here which my husband (the farmer) takes the odd rabbit to in the morning on his travels to check the sheep. We also get several kingfishers on the burn. We've heard a cuckoo in the distance, not sure where it is though, possibly nearer to Lucker. And we get barn owls regularly. It's a very interesting place!
Thats Good Crystal, the Buzzard will appreciate the help if it is breeding nearby. I assume you live near Hoppen Kiln / Waren Mill area? I have birded up there many times over the years it is an excellent spot. Listen out over the farmland on calm evenings for Quails calling. They are very distinctive and sound like dripping water 'whit wit wit' repeatedly. You live in a good spot for them...
You're nearly there: Hoppen Hall Farm. It's a wonderful spot for wildlife. Unfortunately, we have quite a lot of foxes about at present which have been taking our hens. However, one of them met its fate this morning.
Crystal x
Oh no Crystal, I like them ALL, foxes included. Maybe try to secure the hens or just get some replacement ' cheeper' ones ( oh dear). Up here in the north of the county foxes are hammered by everyone for no good reason. They are one of our few large carnivores and need some respect. If they kill any of our stock, its our fault, not theirs.
Re. the foxes,tho im no fan of the anti hunting fraternity,I think we should be past the stage of hunting these creatures to extinction,
my wife feeds a pair of crows who nest nearby ,last season they drove away a fox who got to close to there offspring,the fox survived and so did the crows perhaps we can learn from nature.
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