Short Eared Owl

Until today this beautiful bird has only presented itself to me as not much more than a blob on a stick.  I'm sure we all know that feeling.  I did see it one evening just before dark but as it only sat on a post and did not move it was not so interesting.  Forgive the number of photos but we don't get many birds like this very often let alone showing so well.  As it was fairly overcast I had not taken my dslr which was just as well as I think I have got far better results than I would have by doing so.   The first 9 photos were taken with the little V2 and the rest with the P900.  I think they have both done very well as the bird was mostly over the back of the marsh.

The last Week

Well after the excitement of the pendulines and the ospreys fishing on their way

through things seem to have quietened down a bit on the Wetlands this week.  There are still plenty of black tailed godwits which is always nice

and plenty of the usual cormorants

A few grey wagtails have been present on BHM

though one morning there was little visible on the marsh apart from a few moorhens

Quite a few pied wagtails have been passing through

and a trip to the heronry on rather a dull time of day didn't really produce much of excitement 

Our oyster catchers have been very vocal of late and appear to be choosing their island 

A ring plover on the river

and a little ring plover on BHM earlier this week

Another obliging black tailed godwit I couldn't resist

plus one of our shell ducks near the platform. 

One of my favourite little birds is the house sparrow.  They always seem so cheerful and playful when I watch them.  There used to be a lot close by me but each time a house is sold the new owners seem to rip any tree and shrubs out and replace it with low maintenance gravel areas.  Such a shame.

Another pair of godwits but this time changing into breeding plumage

and another oyster catcher on BHM

and finally something different.  A very quiet but beautiful Black Hole Marsh

and a very quiet but beautiful river

More Osprey Photos

As promised here are some more photos of one of our recent passing ospreys.  Here it is flying passed the tower hide down towards the harbour.

It then came straight back up passed the hide with a very large mullet

After flying around with it for a while it eventually decided to settle across the river to the left of the hide.

After a while as the water pushed up it flew again

before landing further across the mud the other side of the river to the right of the hide

Despite the hassle form one very brave and daring crow in particular it managed to eat half of the fish before the tide came in further

Eventually after about 90 minutes this was the scene and by now it was getting wet feet but still eating its supper

Finally it moved off again to the back of one of the rear islands where it still was when I left.  What a wonderful way to spend a few hours.