I was out at 04:45 this morning where there was no wind and everything was still, but also very cold! I pulled up at Nethergong and spent some time sitting in the car listening for the day to wake up. I was really hoping to hear a Bittern calling and it wasn't long until I could hear 2 booming Bittern calling from the Stour Valley. With the air still and crisp and not much traffic on the road, the call carried very well. Also heard were a few Greylag Geese, Pheasant, Moorhen, Mallard, Snipe and 1 Tawny Owl. As the light picked up, I quickly drove around to Chislet Marshes to collect the recorder which hadn't recorded that much, but a Bittern could even be heard booming from here. 4 Grey Partridge were calling at dawn. A quick drive back to Nethergong where after parking up, I spent a few hours walking around the site and out on to Chislet Marshes. Birds noted this morning in dry sunny but chilly conditions were 7 Greylag Geese, 11 Mute Swan, 7 Mallard, 1 Teal, 5 Pheasant, 6 Feral Pigeon, 10 Stock Dove, 69 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 7 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 2 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 19 Black headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 348 Herring Gull, 20 Cormorant and 1 Grey Heron. There were 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Red Kite (86) flew south at 09:27, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 91 Jackdaw, 3 Raven, 4 Skylark, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Stonechat, 3 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 6 Linnet, 2 Goldfinch, 9 Corn Bunting, 27 Yellowhammer and 19 Reed Bunting. Nocmig recording Saturday night was generally quiet but noted were 2 Tawny Owl and what I think is a Long eared Owl call. Hopefully next weekend will deliver a few new migrants and weather permitting, the recorder will be out in the hope of a few birds passing over.
Long eared Owl
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