Saturday 27 March 2010

Barn Owl

Got out for the last hour of daylight to Prestwick Carr.
It was not long before I caught sight of a Barn Owl hunting along the most southerly edge of the Carr. It twice pounced and was some time before it reappeared. After the third time I set the bins on the area to the north of the bumpy road only to be startled by a Barn Owl coming from behind and within ten feet of my right shoulder, then low over the overflowing ditch. I thought it had crossed back across the road but it reappeared from under the Hawthorn hedge, up over the top, and flew off North.
I am not totally sure but I think that I also caught a glimpse of a Short-eared Owl making its way to over Prestwick.
It was almost dark when I thought I would wander up the bridle path. I stood next to some Hawthorn to get some shelter from the chill wind when I saw two Heron flying my way. They obviously did not see me since they landed in a flooded grassed area, only about twenty feet away. However it was not long before one of them took flight, leaving the other calling and not sure whether to follow. Its just as well it did because within a few seconds a Fox approached the clearing. It was not long before it saw me and after a few furtive glances it scarpered also.
A flock of Curlew called most of the time I was there and a couple of Canada Geese returned from whence they came when they saw how little water was left in the once well flooded field.

3 comments:

kirstallcreatures said...

Blimey! That's a lot of sightings in a short trip, sounds great. L

PCF said...

Bill saw another type of large owl mobbing the Barn Owl last night at the same time you were there and believes it was a Long eared owl.
Could be another tick on the list!

Citybirding said...

Thanks for the info Peter. It was too far away for me to be certain what it was.