Farlington Shorties.

Winter is about to kick off. A couple of frosty mornings and the leaves are jumping off the trees at quite a rate. Autumn is my favourite season? I do seem to say that about every season? The golden trees and misty mornings on the lakes do put it right up there though.

With Winter comes the winter visitors. Redwing and Fieldfare have been here a little while, there's even talk of it being a good Waxwing winter. That would be nice after a couple of barren years here in the South.

Looking at the Hampshire bird news page (link) I saw that the Short Eared Owls had returned to Farlington Marshes so jumped at the chance to get down there on a sunny afternoon last week.

Farlington is a fairly large reserve managed by Hants & IOW Wildlife Trust and is situated to the south of the Motorway in between Portsmouth and Hayling Island. Details here
It's a reserve I've visited a few times over the last few years. Got good pics of Bearded Tit and Merganser in the past, but today it was all about the Asio Flammeus  - flame coloured, eared owls.

I got there around noon, had the rest of the afternoon spare and with the tide being in, I figured I would stay til around dusk if needed. The high tide meant that a lot of the waders would be on the lake as the mudflats would be underwater. Indeed the lake was busy! Dunlin, Grey Plover and Teal all over it.

I chatted to a departing birder who said that three owls had been 'up' til around half ten, then dropped down into the Point Field and not been seen since. Typical behaviour really. I anticipated them flying around an hour before sunset, so wasn't surprised.

Walked up to Point Field and sat on the sea wall, chatting to others with cameras and scopes, patiently waiting for the birds to return. Each photographer trying to out bid others on their recent 'I got this record shot' pictures. I didn't play today.

Two o'clock and we were in business. One owl takes off and starts to quarter the field. Yes!
Possibly the biggest reason to go today was to try and snap the owls with my new lens. Ok, it's not so new any more but this was my first attempt at using it with the shorties.
My camera battery died after 5 minutes! I'd been doing some firework shots the night before, long exposures that drain the battery, luckily I brought a spare.

Spent an hour watching all three birds flying over the marshes, not particularly successful at hunting, but gave good views in great light. A sight I have missed!

Pretty pleased with the pictures, a few 'Eek' shots in there.

A good afternoon.
With a poor weeks weather predicted, I might take a gamble and go for the Southsea Snow Buntings tomorrow morning. This means that they will fly somewhere else between now and I get there. Just like last week's Little Auk at Blashford. Dipped by 20 minutes.
Hmm, we'll see.