Papercourt Farm, England

The first 'unusual' bird I ever saw on a birding trip was a short-eared owl. I saw one of these majestic birds hunting in the late afternoon gloom in a holiday caravan site on the Severn Estuary near Bristol. One of the larger owl species with a 'facial disc' they are always amazing to watch as they are diurnal and can often offer good day time views.

Papercourt Meadows SSSI is an area of damp meadowland next to the River Wey in Send, Surrey. Over the past winter it has also been home to several short-eared owl with up to five individuals being seen. I arrived about 4 pm and one of the first birds I saw was a short-eared owl hawking busily over the open ground often flopping down to seize prey. In total I saw three individuals although there could have been up to five present.

Along the river bank I had a brief glimpse of a kingfisher as it flashed past.

Also on the meadow were several stonechat, a single sparrowhawk and three common kestrel and as I scanned the meadows for more birds a single buck roe deer raised its head and eyed me nervously.

_______________ FULL LIST _______________

6 Mallard

5 Cormorant

1 Ring-necked pheasant

1 Mute swan

2 Black-headed gull

3 Common kestrel

1 Sparrowhawk

3 Short-eared owl

3 European stonechat

25 Feral pigeon

2 Wood pigeon

2 Blackbird

1 Kingfisher

6 Ring-necked parakeet

1 Wren

1 Roe deer

1 Rabbit