Paul Collins
Well-known member
Hello,
Yesterday afternoon, I went to Elmley Marshes, an RSPB reserve on the Isle of Sheppey, on a search with my dad for short-eared and little owl - two birds that we have both been wanting to see for the last few years. We arrived at about 3pm. The 2 mile drive up to Kingshill Farm from the entrance gate was very exciting - there were incredible views of lapwings, redshanks, skylarks and little egrets right by the car, like a safari. Curlews were flying around calling, and hares were bolting up ahead.
At Kingshill Farm, we checked the noticeboard: 2 little owls had been seen regularly in the oak trees behind the toilet, and 10 short-eared owls around Wellmarsh Hide and the seawalls. Dad and I went on a little search around the farm, but could not see anything in the oaks, apart from a very nice wren. We eventually found a good place to stand - against a stone wall in shelter from wind - to look into the oaks. There was a nestbox, and through the telescope I could make out a little body. The little owl poked its head out, and looked around. It was an incredible view (a new bird for me), and unforgettable. It didn't quite dare to come out - I can't blame it - and instead got back into the warm nestbox.
We began our few km walk through the reserve. I saw various waders, such as avocets flying overhead (first of the year), redshanks, curlews, turnstones, little ringed plovers and dunlin. Teal, wigeon and shelduck flew in formation overhead. There were plenty of rock pipits on the seawall - this I probably have seen before, but because they look so much like other pipits, I probably have seen them but without realising it. I'm counting them as a lifer for me.
We arrived at the Wellmarsh Hide, and sat down. Four people had their scopes trained on something in the reeds (undoubtedly a short-eared owl). I looked, and saw it perched on a post, motionless. Ten minutes later, dad and I went to get a better look from another hide, and on approaching the hide, we had a great view of it against the reedbeed before it took off over the marshes.
We spent a couple of hours at the reserve, watching other birds, and at 6:30, as it was getting dark, we made our way back to the farm. It began to chuck down with rain, and yet a stunning short-eared owl was out hunting over the fields. We watched it, completely mesmerised. We saw another one come along over the sea wall with a vole in its talons. The rain was really coming down, but I really didn't care because this bird was absolutely incredible.
A warden drove us back, very kindly, to the farm, and we thanked him (he had given us information about the little and short-eared owls and where to look for them). What a fantastic day.
PHOTOS (UNFORTUNATELY NOT OF OWLS) WILL BE ON MY BLOG:
www.paulcollinsbirdphotography.blogspot.com
Yesterday afternoon, I went to Elmley Marshes, an RSPB reserve on the Isle of Sheppey, on a search with my dad for short-eared and little owl - two birds that we have both been wanting to see for the last few years. We arrived at about 3pm. The 2 mile drive up to Kingshill Farm from the entrance gate was very exciting - there were incredible views of lapwings, redshanks, skylarks and little egrets right by the car, like a safari. Curlews were flying around calling, and hares were bolting up ahead.
At Kingshill Farm, we checked the noticeboard: 2 little owls had been seen regularly in the oak trees behind the toilet, and 10 short-eared owls around Wellmarsh Hide and the seawalls. Dad and I went on a little search around the farm, but could not see anything in the oaks, apart from a very nice wren. We eventually found a good place to stand - against a stone wall in shelter from wind - to look into the oaks. There was a nestbox, and through the telescope I could make out a little body. The little owl poked its head out, and looked around. It was an incredible view (a new bird for me), and unforgettable. It didn't quite dare to come out - I can't blame it - and instead got back into the warm nestbox.
We began our few km walk through the reserve. I saw various waders, such as avocets flying overhead (first of the year), redshanks, curlews, turnstones, little ringed plovers and dunlin. Teal, wigeon and shelduck flew in formation overhead. There were plenty of rock pipits on the seawall - this I probably have seen before, but because they look so much like other pipits, I probably have seen them but without realising it. I'm counting them as a lifer for me.
We arrived at the Wellmarsh Hide, and sat down. Four people had their scopes trained on something in the reeds (undoubtedly a short-eared owl). I looked, and saw it perched on a post, motionless. Ten minutes later, dad and I went to get a better look from another hide, and on approaching the hide, we had a great view of it against the reedbeed before it took off over the marshes.
We spent a couple of hours at the reserve, watching other birds, and at 6:30, as it was getting dark, we made our way back to the farm. It began to chuck down with rain, and yet a stunning short-eared owl was out hunting over the fields. We watched it, completely mesmerised. We saw another one come along over the sea wall with a vole in its talons. The rain was really coming down, but I really didn't care because this bird was absolutely incredible.
A warden drove us back, very kindly, to the farm, and we thanked him (he had given us information about the little and short-eared owls and where to look for them). What a fantastic day.
PHOTOS (UNFORTUNATELY NOT OF OWLS) WILL BE ON MY BLOG:
www.paulcollinsbirdphotography.blogspot.com
