Sunday 15 February 2009

Owls and Divers

I saw a Barn Owl perched by the road at Mullock Bridge on Saturday evening at c.1715 and I returned tonight. Although I could not see it perched, I got lovely views of it hunting across the marsh. Interestingly I also heard a Tawney Owl calling in the big stand of pines nearby. There were good numbers of Snipe calling in the marsh, and a Woodcock flew across the road.
A walk along the Coast Path this morning had over a dozen Gannets feeding actively in the Jack Sound current, and 2 Great Northerns and 3 Red-Throated Divers close to the cliffs between Martins Haven and Musselwick. Good numbers of Wigeon, smaller numbers of Teal, Gadwall and Shoveller on Marloes Mere, and Dabchick trilling and displaying actively. Of interest: the sightings book in the Britton Hide had a report of a Black-Necked Grebe on the Mere today, but I could not find one.