Owling

Spent this weekend in Bedfordshire visiting friends Steve Blain and Caroline Geary. An hour or so yesterday evening sorting through the gull roost at Stewartby Lake failed to find the putative Azorean Yellow-legged Gull found by Steve on 21st (pics here). However, an adult Caspian Gull and at least 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (1 ad & 2 1st yrs) in amongst several thousand Lesser Black-backs, Herring and just a single Common Gull, provided some compensation. Much more successful was a couple of hours owling from 23:45 to 01:45, with a Barn Owl and 4 Tawny Owls (photos below) seen at very close range. Amazing birds! About 5 Muntjac Deer were also seen.

Tawny Owl, Old Warden, Bedfordshire, tucking into a Grey Squirrel. I didn't know Tawnies took prey as large as this. Perhaps this
bird had scavenged some road kill?

Tawny Owl, Old Warden, Bedfordshire