A Little Owl Revives The Fortunes (1 Viewer)

As my recent birding activity has been a little lacklustre to say the least, for various reasons, i've been badly in need of a kickstart to get things chugging along again.

Anyhow once every couple of weeks or so i do a full length cycling commute to work and back, 29 miles each way, which is a nice couple of hours ride through the quiet country lanes of east Norfolk, in reasonably good birding country with several of the 'open countryside species' fairly well represented; finches, singing yellowhammers, thrushes, maybe a harrier or two, partridges .... etc .

On Thursday gone opportunity beckoned again so with no need to put it off any further, i got pedalling. Avoiding any major roads my route heads through a couple of little villages, past farmhouses, fields & windmills etc, typical countryside really. Making mental note as i went along, by the half way point it was still in paltry single figures though.

Shortly after leaving Acle, along a little lane near South Burlingham i saw something (brownish ... smallish) fly out from in the verge and headed at roughly my speed, somewhat ahead of me in my direction. Something about it just didn't look too familiar though, not a starling, or a thrush ... not a partridge .... hmmm running out of ideas now. It wasn't til it landed in an oak tree and i pulled up that i got a good enough look at it, standing absolutely still in the sunlight on an exposed branch ... a Little Owl ... wow ... never seen one before.

Ok, i know it's nothing too spectacular but somehow it seemed to lift the birding (birdless ?) cloud. Suddenly there were loads about, and by the time i'd got there the list had reached a quite reasonable 25.


Lapwing
Yellowhammer
Little Owl
Green Woodpecker
Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Woodpigeon
Chaffinch
Pied Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Starlings
Crow
Rook
Magpies
House Sparrow
Blackbirds
Goldfinch
Common Pheasant
Black-headed Gulls
Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Red-legged Partridge
Moorhen
Gt Crested Grebe
Mute Swan



..... moving on to today at Strumpshaw, one of the best views i've had of a Kingfisher, sat on a perch right in front of the hide for 5 mins or so .... orchids, helleborines, Norfolk Hawkers, a Hobby ... yes thats more like it. A Spotted Flycatcher as well, wasn't sure at first, but am now i've done my homework.

And to cap it all, a rather unexpected Great Skua, pointed out by also-BF'er Mike. Couldn't quite believe what i was seeing there, at first .... but there you go.

Back in business. All thanks to the owl !

I wish i'd have been with you as;
Great Skua
Kingfisher
Little Owl
Yellow hammer
Red legged Partridge
Would of all been lifers to me, i will see them eventually.
Sounds like a great day, well after the owl turned up.

and a Great Skua would be a lifer for me....

Carlos - I know what you mean about birdless then suddenly loads of stuff about.
I spent an hour in Sawbridgeworth cemetary yesterday (the car was being serviced and this was the most likely spot). Seemed quiet at first then loads of finches and tits, Song Thrushes giving full voice, a yellow hammer and a Great Spot.

Any day with an Owl is good.

Up until 6 years ago I had never seen a Little Owl. Now I still take great pleasure in seeing them. When I am driving down the A19 and onto the A689 on the way to work I often see them perched on sign posts. It is an absolute pleasure to see them.