dawn and dusk

We've started baiting an area up to try and catch twite at Dru, so have been down at dawn and dusk the last couple of days checking that. Tuesday morning was cold with the first frost on the car, as I approached the baiting area I had 19 grey partridge fly off in a group of 9 then 10, that might be my largest dru count for them, I also had a deranged whooper swan, which was on the track at the north end looking at me through the gate, when I approached it made a half-arsed effort to fly into the field and went and stood, facing into the corner, like a naughty schoolboy. Maybe it had just arrived and was suffering from a lack of blood-sugar causing it to be dopey - a bit like me in the office by 2pm if there is no cake!

No photo's as I had no camera :-(

As the partridge had eaten all of the seed, I went back this morning to bait up, it was blimmin cold again but bright. The crows were having a go at something beyond the wood - then a merlin flew out and headed off towards Chev, with the corbies in hot pursuit. A mixed flock of all sorts was moving through the bushes.

I called in tonight on the way home from work, it was nearly dark and the car said it was 0.5 deg C! bloody bitter! I was only there 10 minutes or so and had two year ticks! The first was a short-eared owl, there might have been two....I had one flying from the roadside over the wood then over the pool, which then went back over the Budge fields. Later the crows and magpies were mobbing on by the Budge screen, not sure were it went, but soon after there was it or another high over the deep pool. The second year-tick was a water-rail, which was poking about in the lake outflow channel by the bridge. 250 golden plover came offuv the fields between Dru and Chev and flew over the north end, not sure what put them up, maybe it was a peregrine...if only!

The pink beast (aka my RED VW Bora), will no longer be seen at the pools, I've bought a new car - pictures will follow....

154 short-eared owl
155 water rail