Local little Owls doing well again

Dad had seen the local Owls in the week so an early morning visit was on the cards and today was the day. I arrived at the Roding Valley fields around 6am which is only a couple of miles from home and saw my first Little Owl within seconds of arriving. The pair seem to have reared two young successfully this year which is pleasing and seem to be using the same nest hole as last year.

Little Owl

Little Owl

Little Owl youngsters

I enjoyed watching them for a couple of hours in which time I also had good views of the local Ring-necked Parakeets, Green & Great-spotted Woodpeckers and Mistle Thrush to name a few.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Ring-neck!

Following this I picked up the Jims and headed down to Rotherhithe where there had been reported news of a juvenile Yellow-Legged Gull in the week. Arriving at Greenland Dock we found the gull straight away but then doubt  crept in and it took a while to convince frst myself then the Jims that the first bird seen was in fact the target bird. We all agreed that as far as juvenile gull ID goes we all have a bit to learn but it's days like today that we hope will help that process along.

Yellow-legged Gull

City Coot

Great crested Grebe chick

A Short-toed Lark has been reported on and off from Rainham Marsh today and the Black-Winged Pratincole lingered at Ouse Wash Cambridgeshire but neither bird was particularly showy. The reported Bridle Tern at Winterton didn't show today. All these along with the RB Shrike we all possible chases for us today but we stayed local, got home early and enjoyed a bit of Golf too.

Year list now 233