Sunday, January 12, 2020

Local Walk

☀️9C ~ Wind ⇐ S@4mph  Sunday 12th January 2020 ~ After a morning at Brandon Marsh, where there was no real change to recent sightings Dazza and I enjoyed a local late afternoon walk around the canal at Shuckburgh.

Great White Egret ~ A highlight at Brandon
We'd already heard the rumours regarding the local Little Owls demise and after a chat with the lady who moors at the bottom of the field where they nested, our fears were realised. 

Shuckburgh Little Owl from a previous visit
Apparently one had died during the summer due to predation by the local Jackdaws and the other had simply moved on. Still, Dazza insisted we check out the usual spots, more in hope than expectation but there was no sign. 

One of two Mistle Thrush at Shuckburgh Church
A species which does seem to have had a good 2019 is the local Raven population. It's not often you can walk the area without hearing the 'cronk cronk' of a Raven but by the time we'd arrived back at the car we were into double figures! Other sightings during our walk included a couple of Mistle Thrush around the church, a Roe Deer, eighteen Golden Plover but the highlight was a Barn Owl. Which I managed to film as it quartered the field adjacent to where the Little Owls used to live! We arrived back at the car just as the light was fading, a Tawny Owl calling in the distance.


Barn Owl at Shuckburgh