Scratch then patch

After the moderate success of the Morpeth squacco heron I headed back home to get ready for an earlier than usual start for nightshift - all good intentions and plans were cast aside when news filtered through that my recently neglected patch, West Hartford, was on good form.

So I gave in to temptation and put work-morals aside and headed back out for a dusk visit.

Sure enough West Hartford was on good form (it's all or nothing here).

Two barn owl hunted the western fields - one bird is quite noticeably darker backed than the other.

I've not seen many barn owl here in winter months, so I'm hopeful yesterdays sighting is a good sign for the dark cold days ahead. With any luck the weather will be kind to the species - many fatalities were suffered during the last winter.

In addition to the two barn owl, the more expected owl species soon arrived - a single short-eared. My first of the winter and always a favorite to watch. Cracking stuff to see them all hunting at the same time. Over the back a single buzzard was seen, and with kestrel too it was a good end to the day!

Today I've been a little more lethargic - the only notable species has been waxwing ~ 60ish flew over the garden mid afternoon