10 December 2011

Papercourt Short-eared Owls

A brief visit to Thursley Common today found no sign of the Great Grey Shrike, or much else for that matter, with only 10 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Stonechat and a few Meadow Pipits seen. Mid afternoon I found myself back at Papercourt water meadows for some more owl action (I can't believe how many people were out to watch them! Around 50 or so!). At least 4 Short-eared Owls put on a fantastic display, hunting over the rough grass, being mobbed by 2 Kestrels and Carrion Crows, and occasionally even fighting and calling right overhead! This time I managed a few rubbish photos. 1 Barn Owl, 1 Stonechat and a Roe Deer were also seen.






There's been a large influx of Short-eared Owls into the UK this autumn, see here.
Posted by Lee Dingain at 19:11

5 comments:

  1. Sam Woods10 December 2011 at 19:34

    I vividly remember sneaking into a private area of Beddington Sewage Farm (now Beddington Farmlands) in the 1980s to see our first fearsome Short-eared Owls. A memorable birding moment, and a species that remains one of my favorites (being an owl after all). There was something about seeing a bird that we had sneaked in for that made it all the more special in our young, rebellious days! (that was about as rebellious as we ever got I think!)

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  2. Sam Woods10 December 2011 at 19:35

    I want one of these for Xmas!

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  3. Lee Dingain11 December 2011 at 22:46

    Those Beddington Short-eared Owls are still the best I've seen! It's such a shame that they are no longer regular winter visitors there. Lets hope the Papercourt birds hang around for your trip back to the UK.

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  4. Richard Peters18 December 2011 at 23:30

    Hi Lee, do you have an email address I can reach you on? :)

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  5. Lee Dingain19 December 2011 at 12:19

    Hi Richard,

    My email address is lee.dingain@gmail.com

    Lee

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