27th February 2024: Short-eared Owl at Rodmell

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 On a beautiful sunny afternoon we took a stroll across the fields and beside the river at Rodmell. Near the farm track there were plenty of Chiffchaffs flitting around the bushes and in the fields we found lots of Corn Bunting, foraging on the ground and perched in low lying bushes all along our route, intermittently opening their mouths wide for a burst of their harsh, jarring song. 

Amongst a few ponies we found two Little Egrets, and there were several Grey Herons, frozen in position in the reeds, dagger bill poised for action!

Walking along by the river, we scanned the low lying marshes by the bank, but there was little activity, other than a Stonechat and plenty of Rooks. Retracing our steps, we found a large flooded field, where a female Goosander was taking advantage of this pop up lake, gingery head glowing in the low evening sun. 

Setting out across the fields again, we stopped to chat with another couple, and suddenly we were all rewarded with an appearance from a Short-eared Owl, which showed intermittently for several minutes as it hunted across the ditches and flooded grassland. A brilliant end to a relaxed walk in warm sunshine -very welcome after so much depressing rain in recent weeks.

Short-eared Owl


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