BARN OWL CAUGHT KNAPPING

Today was memorable for two reasons, firstly when at Leysdowne about 10 of the clock I have never experienced such extreme windchill, care of a North Easterly wind which, I always called a lazy wind, meaning that it would sooner go through you than round you, and secondly and more pleasurable was the bird encounters as you can see by the pictures below, I have hardly been out since before Christmas and if I did it was for essentials, I prefer to leave the Arctic conditions to you fit and healthy young guys. . . This being the first serious attempt at photography, and exposure to the elements, I was amazed at the birdlife I had access to, the Barn Owl was the result of my second visit of the day to Harty, the owl was resting on a post close to the Raptor Viewpoint, after a few shots he took off and alighted on a post only twenty yards away, I sneaked up on him a little clumsily but he humoured me and allowed a few more shots, most obliging I thought! . . Next I visited Elmley only driving as far as the farm, there is a great deal of surface water which seem to favour the coots for they seem to be everywhere. . A quick breakdown of the day. Leysdowne Dunlin 30+ Turnstone 60+ Gulls Loads Curlew 6 Harty Barn Owl Mute Swans 50 no whooper or bewicks Marsh Harrier 2 Fieldfare 30+ Egret 1 . Finally RSPB Elmley Curlew 50+ Wigeon not seen but heard. Lapwing does not seem as many as this time last year LBG's 5 little brown job's