Soil Hill - Thanks Heavens For a Little Owl

Minus 6 degrees on the car this morning.

Quite a long session sky watching in the garden early this morning - well wrapped up and with a coffee in hand and the sun shining - pretty enjoyable.

(Only thing missing were birds).

It's over a week since my last visit to Soil Hill and after AC's success there yesterday, I though I'd give it a go.

Tough going today with no Owls along Taylor Lane and a long trudge around The Hill did not reveal much.

Some sledgers were having some fun tearing down the Underground Reservoir Field.

Some footprints up the main track but none along the west side 'path' where the snow had drifted and up to my knees in places (so not very deep).

A boot full of snow can be quite refreshing.

Birds:-

Soil Hill:

Pheasant, 2 Carrion Crow.

A few Gulls airborne near Ogden.

One solitary Common Gull flying back and forth at the top of Ned Hill, looked to have a damaged leg.

Ned Hill to Home:

2 Stock Dove.

Usual Jackdaws at the farm and the usual more common birds here.

A long, long search for a Little Owl to salvage something from the outing, finally paid off when I was within 200yds of home!

Looks like this cold spell is here to stay.

2nd Winter Common Gull?

Very light coloured Primaries.

Cant seem to find a similar photo in any of my

Books.

Probably a trick of the light.

You can't beat 'em.