Shortie magic!

Sunday afternoon saw me doing a spot of local patch birding, partly in the hope of seeing a "Ruddy Shelduck" that Dave had seen earlier.  There was a suspicion that it might be the apparent hybrid Ruddy x Cape Shelduck that I'd seen months ago but would have liked to have got better views.  Sadly it wasn't behaving and all I managed was a few Snipe, a flock of 20 Pied Wagtails and nearby a Brambling.

Monday's lunchbreak was shorter than usual but I still managed to notch up 2-3 Barn Owls and a Grey Wagtail.

Grey Wagtail, Ingoldisthorpe, 11th January

For Tuesday's lunchtime excitement I tried to find something interesting among the Greylag Goose flock at Raynham Lake.  No luck there but that left me time to pass through Tatterford Common and there I found a large flock of finches including at least 70 Bramblings.  Very nice too.

Wednesday was better.  I headed up to the Brancaster Road where I stopped to check the Pink-feet.  Jim S was stopped there too, forcibly thanks to a blow-out, and he'd seen 2 Rough-legged Buzzards.  They didn't show for me but heading back to work I passed a Short-eared Owl in the hedge next to the track.  Having taken a record shot through the back window I reversed back past it and was surprised it didn't fly off.  Drawing up next to it I was amazed that it stayed put while I took scores of photos.  Eventually it did slowly move, but just flipped over the car and went behind the hedge the other side.

I thought it might have continued on down the hedge slightly so I drove the short distance to the end of the hedge where I discovered it sitting on a post, posing for more photos from a different angle.  If it had flown from here I might have done a better job at getting some flight photos but if I'd stuck it out any longer I'd have been late back to work.  Fantastic experience though - never been so close to a Short-eared Owl - or probably any wild owl - for such a prolonged period.

Short-eared Owl, north of Stanhoe, 13th January