A Silhouette in the Dark

A late evening walk to the Mill Lakes produced a few good birds. It began with a Green Woodpecker and two singing Skylark over the Pit Tip, followed by good views of a Common Whitethroat at Dawson's Corner by the western entrance. Nothing was to be seen at the Reedbed tonight, but the far side of the Mill Lakes gave me the best views I've ever had of two male Ruddy Duck: one with a bright blue bill and the other paler blue/grey. Both were parading the lake giving their display calls. Heading further around the lake (clockwise) a single male Shelduck was looking a little lost - a bit odd at this time of year.

The Leen Pastures had a single male Common Pheasant wandering amongst the rabbits and cattle, but no sign of anything else. Along the Railway Track a Dunnock was singing at the top of a gorse bush and three Brown Hare were on the golf course, but no sign of any Owls, which is what I'd been hoping for.

Back at the north end of the lake, I poured myself a coffee whilst watching all the wildfowl move towards their roosting positions. As the sunlight faded, a small bird flashed past me in the light of the (almost) full moon. A small bird, about the size of a Starling, had flown from the bank to one of the small islands, and landed on a tree branch that overhangs the water. All I could make out in the poor light was a light lower half and darker upper... then it started wagging its tail in the constant fashion that Grey Wagtails do, so it was almost certainly a Grey Wagtail. I watched it for several minutes while finishing my coffee, and it seemed to have gone to roost there. Something to note for my next pre-dawn visit.

It was gone 10pm, and the light had all but gone, so I headed back with the hope of glimpsing an Owl. Some parts of the Sustrans path were pretty closed in, so I used my torch to guide the way, flicking it up into the trees every so often - just in case! As I reached the point where the path doubles back on itself a noise from the trees behind me caught my attention. It sounded like an Owl call, so I shone the torch up for a quick glance... nothing... and then another call. Moving closer to the source of the sound, I was surprised that it was coming from mid-way up the tree, rather than the top. Shining the torch was answered by the same call, but further back, so I followed.

Using the sound (rather than the light) I was able to pinpoint what I thought was an Owl-like silhouette close to the main trunk of a tree about 20 feet away. Watching it with the bins, it didn't move, and I started to think I was looking in the wrong spot when it suddenly swooped downward and moved further away. I was about to get the video camera's night vision on when, all of a sudden, I heard several voices nearby and getting closer. This area isn't the best of places to be hanging around in the dark by yourself, so I went on my way contently, having just seen my first-ever Tawny Owl.