The barn owl was hunting around the edge of Thornton as I came into the city again this morning (5.30am) in heavy drizzle.
It's always a surprise to see one feeding in the rain, but the wet doesn't cause 'em too many problems, and they prefer cloud cover for hunting to clear skies usually...this bird could still have young to feed.
Late as it is in the season, barn owls have been known to raise young in our area into November, especially if conditions are nice and mild.
Last night I had two different jays heading south as I commuted with the rest of the four-wheeled stress pack home (must get past the lights before they change...why won't you let me in...oops, wrong gear etc etc).
Clearly passage birds, a fair few have come through the area in the last couple of days, to swell the already growing breeding population.
John Daly tells me a count by the huntin' n fishin' folk revealed between 50 and 60 grey partridges oon Plex Moss recently _ a good count for a declining species.
Yesterday's raging hooley brought over 20 Leach's petrels into Liverpool Bay, and further north a tasty duo of sabs gull and pom skua were cause for celebration at Workington _ I'd have gone to the pub after seeing those two anyway.
More weather fronts from the west are forecast over the weekend, but the wind needs to pick up for seawatching to attain the heady heights of a good Leach's wreck (time for a "wind dance" _ a bit like a "rain dance" but you couldn't do it in front of the local vicar).
The escaped red breasted goose turned up with pinkies by the Rainford by-pass yesterday and the wild Taiga bean goose was at Martin Mere again.
I've got a week off after today, so once Project Slash n Burn is completed in the rolling acres that are the garden of Dempsey Towers, the attic skylight is fixed, I've cleaned the car for the first time (well, I've only had it for six months...), mowed the carpet, hoovered the dog (hang on, we don't have a dog) and fixed the door, I'll be out in the field for the start of October....
Winter thrushes should be arriving in numbers soon, and there's always a chance of a tasty rarity turning up (please god, let it be a parula...)
Good birding to one and all, and remember, eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies.
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