10-03-08 Pochard +

Report of Red Crested Pochard at Swallow Pond, not my favourite place to visit but the bird showed well despite the very noisy kids that came to feed the Swans etc,(Pochard did not come to bread so that's it ,it's a good un !!) the birds do not seem to mind the surrounds beyond the pond these areas are vital for birds on passage etc.
Some very heavy showers later it started to brighten up so I went inland for owls ,a Barn Owl within a couple of minutes showed very well lost count how many I have seen this year already, a Short Eared showed briefly and the Barn Owl continued to give good views sitting on the fence often ,the SEO or another as it came from a different direction showed again but at a distance, and finally a Long Eared Owl put on a show at one stage it sat in a tree, it was immediately mobbed by a Mistle Thrush which gave it such a shock it fell off its perch and hit the branch with a belly flop falling to the ground with its wings outstretched like an Angel, as it cleared the branch it took flight , absolutely magic to watch, it settled again but further off and partly obscured , also first Pipistrelle of the year, great afternoon and evening well after 9:30 before I got in !!!
Distant Long Eared Owl in the gloom
I could watch these anytime it came overhead as I stood in the bushes but the branches got in the way
Looks like Tintin !!!
Whatever it's origins, this is a very nice bird it showed well ,probably stay for a while now !!