Monday 22 February 2021

The coast comes to me

21st February and we're still in lockdown with local travel only so my much wanted trip to the coast has to wait but today the local twitter drums started beating to the tune of three Velvet Scoters resting on King George reservoir which is just inside my imposed local birding area so I popped over to take advantage of the London Tick. I quickly found the birds at the far end of the south basin.

The reservoir falls within the Essex and London recording areas but I've previously seen Velvet Scoter in Essex so just a year tick and London tick for this one but it was nice to get clear scope views of them. Lot's of Goldeneye still present and a single Greater Scaup.

Boris is due to announce some lightening of lockdown rules tonight so it may be possible for a little more travel at some point soon. 

Finally after concern for the local Short-eared Owls during the recent strong south westerlies where I did think they may be looking to move I was pleased to see both birds still performing well today too.
I had a remarkable experience with the young bird today whilst watching him he sat up on a bush a good distance from me but was mobbed by a gang of Crows and to my amazement he flew over and sat on the ground a few feet from me to escape them. I don't know if he picked the spot near me or it just happened to be that I was there but it was quite a thrill to have him fly in and land so close.

Just chilling and hiding from the Crows



year list now 111

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