Yesterday. (1 Viewer)

Had a great day Yesterday, beautiful sunshine here so I went to the beach (Dawlish Warren) with my little Boy (4 years old now).
We spent a couple of hours throwing stones, digging holes.making footprints etc..
I had one eye on the horizon continously watching the gulls, scoter,mergansers and Red Throated Diver, when a big floppy thing came into view.
A Short eared Owl flew in off the sea over our heads, first time I'd witnessed that. Not quite as impressive as Colin,s sighting, but still very lucky to be there at the right time.
We then wandered around to the bird hide,too sunny so we stayed outside and sat on the bank and were eating lunch when a Water Rail suddenly appeared on top of the bank two feet away.I was suprised, and the Water Rail was so shocked it almost flew!!

It's raining today so I'm doing the ironing.

What was the owl doing out to sea? I bet you couldn't hear anything coming off those big silent wings, in flight the owls seem dead eyrie. Maybe not quite as bad as an unsuspecting vole must feel.

I presume the owl was migrating from somewhere, there's usually a couple around here in the winter so it might of been one of them.Don't know where it would of come from though.
The wings are very large aren't they, almost out of proportion with the rest of the bird, particularly the 'hand' bit of the wing.Like a male Lapwing's.
No I didn't hear anything apart from my son talking. He doesn't stop talking while he's awake.

Gerry, I saw that reported on Birdguides this morning! Was that you? I would ove to see that Red-throated Diver but things are preventing me from venturing to Dawlish this week!!! Grrr.

Sound like a great way to spend the day, Gerry.

(Sorry about the ironing!)