7th November : Barn Owl & Kingfisher.

Back at BBOWT Gallows Bridge Farm for a 3 hour visit.

A pair of Bullfinches lead us along the path to the first hide as they flew in & out of the hedgerow. Once we arrived in the hide I realised I'd left my phone in the car, so returned to get it, on the way back a Great White Egret glided in over the hedgerow, it must have touched down out of sight as it was a good half an hour before it wandered into view feeding on what looked liked very dark looking Newts, so possibly Great Crested Newts.

 

Egret began ranging over the field.

Part of a flock of at least 100 Lapwings in the distance.

We moved around to the second hide, where after a while the Great White Egret was joined by one of it's smaller relatives.

 

A Kestrel was doing what Kestrels do on breeze.

At 1-30pm Stewart spotted a Barn Owl sat on a fence post right over on the far side of the large field patiently waiting for an unsuspecting Field Vole to emerge, it was rewarded for it's patient's after 15 or so minutes, as it dispatched one on the ground before flying onto a post & downing it about 20 seconds. 

As we watched Barnie hunting the warden was busy trying to stop the sheep from escaping, she now joined us in the hide. I was bemoaning the fact that I'd never seen a Kingfisher here, unbelievably no sooner had I said it than one flashed low across the water, flew up hovered, dived into the water & splash, we didn't see it with a fish, it sat half hidden in the reeds, before sitting out in the open preening for about 10 minutes.

  

Video here :

Images : Copyright © Don Stone