"For now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see" Neutral Milk Hotel.

Monday 6 January 2014

A Punctuated Day with more new birds & mammals

I started out aboard my mountain bike, pulled in at Old Hunny church again, no Long-tailed Tit or Great Spotted Woodpecker but recompense in a single Fieldfare.

On to Holme a quick stop at Redwell produced a squealing Water Rail. Then mega close up of the Short-eared Owl off the boardwalk I wheeled past at 5m!  Then an almost repeat of yesterday's birds on the sea all 3 Divers, very good views of Great Northern & Black-throated, plus Red N Grebe, 3 Velvet Scoter (2E & 1W). Highlights for the year-listers  & me 3 Pintail, Pied Wagtail & I at last caught up with Greenshank. Both Common & Grey Seal 
were also seen & the 2 Chinese Water Deer were again in the fields near Redwell.

I then headed to the village & frustration arrived in the form of a puncture! I really didn't want to lose my Non-motorised year list (NYML) birds, so there was nothing for it.......a long walk back to Hunny. my mood was immediately brightened as 2 Long-tailed Tit, called from nearby bushes.

I arrived home around 3.30pm quickly snaffled some food & headed back in the minibus to collect the bike. I decided to hang around & 2 Barn Owls & 1500 Pink-feet were nice. But a stroll at dark down the dead end drove produced 2 more year birds - Tawny Owl & Woodcock! These will have to be recovered on the NYML at some point---hopefully!

Chris 109 

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