Unbeknownst to me, while I was enjoying a wander around around Kinwarton, a rather good bird was flying around a few miles to the north. Mark Clarke had happened upon a Short-eared Owl somewhere between Alcester and Studley, and posted a photograph of it on the Local Nature Sightings Whatsapp Group forum.
So the following afternoon I took a complete punt on the HOEF land between Coughton Court and Middle Spernal. Alas, I was to be disappointed.....and very wet. The sunshine and showers forecast turned out to include one long torrential mega-shower which no self-respecting SEOwl would be likely to be braving.
I eventually blundered as far as Middle Spernal Pool where a Goosander at least gave me a little compensation.
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| Goosander |
This morning another Whatsapp message (this time Earlswood) reported a Goldeneye on Windmill Pool. Storm Ciaran was a little tardy, and the weather was positively pleasant. Unfortunately just as Lyn emerged, the rain began. I wasn't about to get another soaking.
Then, just after lunch it seemed to abate and I made the dash over. This would be a year-tick, and also an Earlswood tick (my Earlswood list has many gaps).
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| Goldeneye |
It was still present, although no longer bang in the middle of the lake where Joe Owen had found it. Instead it had drifted to the lee of the bushes south of the yacht club, so the views were a little distant.
Any thoughts of carrying on birding when I got back to the causeway were scuppered by a further pepping up of the rain.
I'm clearly a fair-weather birder these days.
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