The New Year started with howling winds and rain, and a report of a Short Eared Owl in Workington, so regardless of the weather and to get some fresh air after Christmas we headed out to look for it. Sadly on the 1st we saw no sign of the Owl, it seemed to have more sense than us and was staying out of the open. However, all was not lost at the Port of Workington we managed to get a look at a flock of Cormorants sheltering on the pier, and a solitary Turnstone feeding in the breakwater, just before the weather closed in totally we were treated to a rainbow over the sea and a cargo ship, not a bad start to the New Year.
On the 2nd of January however the day dawned clear, cold, sunny and with blue skies, so off I went again. Again the SEO was a no show so I consoled myself with a hunting Kestrel and chirping Stonechats and resolved to come back in the evening, and what a good plan that turned out to be.
At 2pm in the distance we spotted the Short Eared Owl, perched on a fence post, a dog walker on one side and four dogs on the other, it wasn’t bothered by either. It took turns over the next two hours, sitting on fence posts and hunting in the long grass. We followed it along the ridge and back more than once and marvelled at the sheer beauty of its movements, it would swoop in only feet above the ground only to gain height to avoid an old fence post or person in its path. we could clearly see its eyes shine bright yellow in the sun, a wonderful experience only ended by fading light and it disappearing into the distance, still hunting.
I went back on the 3rd but no sign in the morning the Owl seems to be an afternoon hunter, so fingers crossed I will be able to get out again soon when the weather allows.
