Little Woodcote - a bit of an Owler! 18th March 2018

That title might be misleading - it's deliberate. Having kindly been given specific directions to try and find the Little Owls (and barnies) along Telegraph Track and the Woodcote fields by Ian, I had a walk there this afternoon before the snow arrived. It was bloody freezing, but I had a couple of hours along the path. I found the trees and field, but due to the cold and snow - not something I predicted last week - no owls were around. Along the way I noted 4 Greenfinch, a single Mipit, 2 Fieldfare, a Redwing and plenty of smaller birds including probably the first genuine migrant of the year - a calling Chiffchaff in the wood. 

I spent nearly half an hour looking around the tree from the path, and other trees, but wisely the owls were sheltering. 

I decided to head back, as snow was forecast for half an hours time. 

While heading back, I noticed a smallish bird scuttling along the path, in a pass-by, about 30m ahead of me. My instinct was actually right - without binoculars. However, it was a very wary bird and every step I took caused it to run down the path - I stopped quite quickly, and watched it running down. I kept my distance from it, and stayed around 50m throughout. Eventually it was flushed by a dog - what else - and flew over someone's house and into a field some way off. Seeing a Red-legged Partridge close to home was a pleasant surprise, and though not unusual quite a nice bird to see - the last encounter was with 8 in Suffolk in 2013, along the side of a road. 

The wind had picked up, so I then headed home.

Then the last bit of action occurred near Wallington Girls school - while listening out for anything a gull started flying across the field - though distant it looked like a Med Gull - similar to the one I saw a fortnight ago at Beddington. It was a long way away, and the snow told me to go home. I tried to get a picture, but it came out awfully. Anyway I'm not going to say that it was a successful walk, but not a waste of time.

Meanwhile I had a dream about the Horned Lark last night. Need to find a way there, and by the looks of it my parents aren't taking me. Sigh. 

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

On a mission!